Regarding Martinis

 A martini is a specific type of cocktail. Gin and dry vermouth, mixed 2:1, shaken, not stirred, and garnished with an olive. Replacing the olive with a pickled onion makes it a Gibson. Replacing any other ingredient makes it not a martini. A martini is not a drink for children or college students (who are really just big children). It's a cocktail for James Bond or my grandmother, rest her soul.

I ordered a martini once, on my 40th birthday, served next to a wedge saladand a very large piece of meat. I was channeling my inner Don Draper. Honestly, I didn't care for the drink.
But what bothers me more than the taste of a proper martini is the bastardization of the word "martini". I don't like that if I were to order a martini at Applebees, I'd be asked "what kind" and given a menu of 39 different boozed up sweet kiddie drinks, all calling themselves martinis. Ian Fleming must be rolling over in his grave.

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