• Chill a scrupulously clean martini glass by filling with ice and water.
• Set aside.
• Fill a shaker tin with ice.
• Add vermouth first and then vodka.
• Cap tin with mixing glass.
• Shake vigorously (to break off little shards of ice).
• Dump ice and water from martini glass.
• Strain liquor mixture into properly chilled martini glass.
• Garnish with olive and SWING!

• Cosmopolitan: Prepare as above with equal parts of Vodka, Triple Sec, Lime Juice and JUST A SPLASH of Cranberry Juice (it should blush like a young school girl).
• Gin Martini: Prepare as above, substituting Gin for Vodka.
• For more variations, try the Webtender.

Martini's were originally made with gin, although no one is sure when the drink was invented. In the early 60's, vodka became a popular variation which has persisted until today. Martini-drinkers are very particular about how their little slice of heaven is prepared. As such, it is the most frequently returned drink. Due to their high alcohol content, this is a costly mistake.^*

Most are prepared "straight-up" (such as above), but can be served "on-the-rocks" (on ice). The term, "dry" means with just a dash of vermouth. "Perfect" means a dash each of Sweet and Dry Vermouth.

^*In all my years of bartending, I've only had 2 returned.