Bradford Martini

Review:

I do like a shaken Dry Martini! Sorry, I should say Bradford. For some a "shaken martini" is blasphemous but the aeration generated by the more vigorous mixing makes the cocktail lighter, colder, and on occasion, more appealing.

There's something about shaking a martini (Bradford) that amplifies the vermouth notes more than when stirring. Hence, shaken martinis (Bradfords) need less vermouth. After experimentation, I've found that a 10:1 gin to vermouth ratio (as above) is perfect (while I prefer a 5:1 ratio for a stirred Martini).

History:

A Bradford is a Dry Martini which is shaken rather than stirred. Like the Martini itself, the origin of the Bradford is lost in time. However, in Harry Johnson's 1900 edition of his Bartender's Manual he includes two Martini recipes – one simply titled "Martini Cocktail" and the other "Bradford à la Martini" – crucially the Martini is stirred while the Bradford is shaken. This difference is reinforced by David Embury in his 1948 The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks, "If you shake the Martini it becomes a BRADFORD."

In common with his Martini recipe, Harry Johnson's 1900 Bradford à la Martini recipe calls for equal parts "Tom gin" and "vermouth" shaken with "3 or 4 dashes of orange bitters" and "the peel of one lemon". He specifies to garnish with "a medium-sized olive."

BRADFORD À LA MARTINI.
(Use a large bar glass.)
¾ glass of fine-shaved ice;
3 0r 4 dashes of orange bitters;
The peel of one lemon into mixing glass;
½ wine glass of Tom gin;
½ wine glass of vermouth;
Shake well with a shaker, strain into a cocktail glass, put a medium-sized olive into it and serve.

Harry Johnson, 1900

Nutrition:

One serving of Bradford Martini contains 174 calories