It's what makes a martini a cocktail rather than just a chilled spirit.
We don't wear a suit or know how to tie a Windsor knot or carry handkerchiefs or know how to change a tire or make a martini because all of those skills seem to belong to a Neanderthal age and now we live in Brooklyn and wear a pork pie hat and eat artisanal cheese.
To properly make a martini, one needs a metal cocktail shaker and plenty of ice.
I have a horror of bartenders who are nasty-minded enough to suggest making a martini with vodka.
Though tonic is clearly secondary, it cannot be ignored or waved in the vague direction of the spirit, as some bartenders do with vermouth when making a martini.
Easiest drink to make: A martini.
During the evening, a bartender attempted to make a Martini without vermouth.
He makes a dry martini with a tincture of sea salt, right there on the beach, and serves oysters at about £1 each.
The result is a lush, velvety, gin that makes a hell of a martini.
