Martinis, Manhattans, and bitters, oh my!

Nicole and I have been ordering Martinis and Manhattans across the state and finally figured out why mine were smoother: bitters.

I use a few drops of Stirring's Blood Orange Bitters in my recipes and it seems to add a good deal of balance. Acceptable substitutes are (in order of preference) Campari, Peychaud's bitters, and Angostura bitters (if you feel like roughing it).

Lest you think the idea mine, know that bitters were once considered an elemental ingredient in all cocktails. They were using bitters in martinis and manhattans before, during, and after Prohibition.

So without further adieu, here are the recipes:

Medium-Dry Martini

• 2 oz. Plymouth Gin (rounder flavor than most other gins, but feel free to substitute your own)
  
• 0.5 oz. Dry Vermouth (brand does not matter)
  
• Dash of Bitters
  

Fill shaker/mixing glass with cracked ice. Add ingredients, stir, and strain into a chilled cocktail (martini) glass. Garnish with a lemon twist. I consider olives heresy, but if you insist...

Old 1920's Cocktail

This Manhattan variation is not as strong as the original, and seems to fit better with modern tastes.

• 2 oz. Whiskey (I prefer rye or a Canadian Blend)
  
• 1 oz. Dry Vermouth
  
• 1 oz. Sweet Vermouth
  
• Dash of Bitters
  

Fill shaker/mixing glass with cracked ice. Add ingredients, stir, and strain into a chilled cocktail (martini) glass. Garnish with an orange twist or maraschino cherry. (I usually drop the cherry into the bottom to give people a reward for finishing the drink.) Once again, I consider olives heresy, but if you insist...

To make this into a traditional Manhattan, halve the amount of sweet and dry vermouth.

Enjoy!

AOS