Martini Manifesto

There's nothing wrong with a fruity drink once in a while, like maybe when you're on vacation on a tropical island, but I am all about the classics, and it doesn't get more classic than the martini.  However, this iconic cocktail has been bastardized over the past decade to the point where most people have no idea what the original is supposed to be.  First and foremost, it is made with gin, not vodka.  By analogy, a hamburger is made of beef.  That makes the vodka martini the equivalent of a turkey burger, which isn't a bad thing, but it's not a hamburger.  Second, it needs vermouth to balance out the gin/vodka, so don't just coat the inside of the glass and pour the rest out like you see some so called "mixologists" do.  Another tip is to chill the glass with ice water before you pour the drink.  The one rule that I admittedly break is that I shake my martinis rather than stir them.  Technically, you only shake a drink with some type of fruit juice in it to get that frothy effect, but I think shaking gets it colder than stirring does.  Finally, I prefer mine with a twist, but knock yourself out with olives (please, just no bleu cheese stuffed), and remember that if you want it with cocktail onions, that's called a Gibson.