The Perfect Twist

[escondido123]

I like my gin martini with a generous twist of lemon peel and used to go to a bar that created this amazing long ribbon of just the yellow peel using a sharp paring knife. It was a joy to behold and to taste. Where I live now bars provide a pathetic strip of peel and pitch that adds almost nothing to the drink. On occasion I have smuggled in my own ribbon of peel when I knew I was going to order a martini--happens a few times a year--but I have been called all sorts of nasty names here for doing so. My questions are 1) Do you ever order a drink with a twist? 2) Do they actually provide a good twist? 3) If not, would you do anything to rectify that? Thanks PS Please assume you can't just go somewhere else that is is the "only" bar in town.

[davis_sq_pro]

Martini with a twist? Yes, always. I don't think an olive adds anything meaningful to the drink, whereas a twist completely opens it up and makes it sing.

Do I get a good twist? Sometimes yes, mostly no. But the twist is the least of my worries when ordering a martini, so I almost never have that drink outside of my home.

How to fix it? Find a new drink to order out, and keep some nice gin and vermouth in your home. Seriously. Trying to retrain most bartenders on this particular issue is a lost cause.

[escondido123]

I've tried that and most of the time there's some mix involved rather than fresh lime/lemon juice. I have the ingredients, and the glasses at home, but there's something about an icy martini, served up with the perfect twist at a bar that I love--hope springs eternal.

[davis_sq_pro]

Lemon juice in a martini? Only one possible reaction for that: "Bartender, a beer please!" :-)

[EvergreenDan]

I think the lime/lemon comment referred to finding another drink other than a Martini.

But then again, you like Chartreuse in your "Negroni." ;)

[escondido123]

Sorry with my obscure pronoun, Evergreen had it right. So many drinks use mix when only fresh juice does it well.

[davis_sq_pro]

Hey, I said it was a Negroni twist! And this from the guy who puts Campari in a Pegu Club? Give me a break!!!! ;-)