Greetings, gumshoes!
It shouldn’t be any surprise that we’re re-visiting THE THIN MAN so early in the lifecycle of the new podcast. It’s one of the most timeless mystery classics, a gold-standard of writing for those of us who like romantic duos and to blend together different genres of mysteries and sleuths. I’m joined this week on the show by Lawrence Allan, the writer of the Jimmy Cooper Mysteries (scroll to the end for links!).
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The Great Muppet Caper (1981) – Mindy Carlson – Silver Screen Sleuths
Cocktail of the Week
Now, Nick might talk about the proper rhythm for a dry martini, but I’m going to suggest we try a different drink this week:
The Perfect Martini
A perfect martini is not a dry martini prepared just the way you like it. Instead, it’s a martini that blends dry and sweet vermouth in equal/”perfect” proportions. There are “perfect” versions of most vermouth-inclusive cocktails, including Manhattans. In the heyday of The Thin Man, this likely would have been called a “medium martini,” as it was in between a dry martini (only dry vermouth and gin) and a sweet martini (sweet vermouth and gin). Vodka wasn’t a martini spirit of choice until the 1950s/60s, when James Bond came into the picture. But that’s a factoid for a later time!
Like most classic cocktails, you’re shooting for a three ounce drink. I remember the heyday of the early 2000s martini craze, when every bar served you, like, six ounces of booze and mixer in a triangle glass the size of a small schooner. This isn’t that. If you can source vintage martini glasses, or better yet, a Nick and Nora, that would be… perfect!
- 1 oz dry vermouth
- 1oz sweet vermouth
- 1 oz gin (or vodka!)
- 1 dash orange bitters
- orange or lemon twist to garnish
In a shaker over ice, combine the first three ingredients. Shake (to waltz time!) and strain into a chilled glass. (To chill a cocktail glass, fill with ice and water and let sit for about a minute. Toss the icewater mixture just before you pour in your shaken cocktail.) Top with a dash of orange bitters and float with a citrus twist for garnish.
Some recipes call for a dash each of orange bitters AND Angostura bitters. Give it a try if you want that extra kick of spicy aroma!
Find Lawrence Allan online!
If you’re as delighted by Larry as I am, be sure to find him online and buy The Jimmy Cooper Mysteries!
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