Vermouth, for the uninitiated, is a type of fortified wine that's been flavoured with a bunch of secret herbs and spices (or so the manufacturers claim). It's what gives a Martini its distinctive tang, but use too much of it and the whole thing starts to taste like someone poured a bottle of cheap wine into your fancy cocktail. The trick, according to legendary bartender Dale DeGroff, is to use just enough vermouth to "kiss" the gin, whatever that means - I think it's a bit like the bartender equivalent of a gentle whisper in the ear.
Now, I know some of you are probably thinking, "But wait, what about the whole'shaking vs stirring' controversy?" Well, let me tell you, that's a whole different can of worms - or should I say, a whole different cocktail shaker? Suffice it to say that whether you shake or stir your Martini, you're still going to end up with a delicious drink that's mostly gin, and that's all that really matters.
