Paulius Musteikis
“Could any tiger/Drink martinis, smoke cigars,/And last as we do?” W.H. Auden’s adoption of the haiku form mimics the strict formula for the most iconic cocktail of all, the martini. Surely, no other drink recipe has been so divisive or subject to such scrutiny with regard to its proper form and dryness. “Dry” refers to the amount of vermouth added. This argument has now been replaced by discussion of whether the martini’s origins trace to a drink called the Martinez (which, by the way, is quite wet).
The cultural obsession with the dry martini ended sometime in the 1970s, but has been resurrected by the Mad Men craze. There are rules to these dry martinis — but the only really important one to know is: Procure the drink from someone who has been making them a long time and who enjoys them.
At Genna’s, 105 W. Main St., veteran bartender Bill “Stick” Bielefeld is turning out an ideal dry martini with Beefeater gin and a lime twist. The sign of true martini fans is they will know which gins go with which citrus, as if from birth.
But there must be something in the wrist, too, because when copying the formula at home, the drink lacks the same magic. Legend has it Bielefeld stares long and hard at vermouth between orders so he can store up the light reflected by the bottle in his eyes, and then quickly glances at the awaiting glass before pouring in the gin. Now that’s dry. I jest, but his martini is no joke.
