Tableside cocktails have long been the practice of high-end bars, such as Dukes Bar<\/a> in London where a Martini order is elegantly rolled out on an antique trolley. But more bars and restaurants are using that personal touch to up their level of hospitality. In San Francisco, Holbrook House<\/a> features a Champagne or Martini cart that can be summoned with the flip of a switch<\/a>. Dorothy<\/a>, a bar in Chicago\u2019s West Town neighborhood, debuted their 1950s French serving cart<\/a> offering dry or Dirty Martinis as an add-on to their bed lounge rental or most nights when the bar isn\u2019t packed. \u201cThere\u2019s something very special about watching someone make it just for you with precision, care, and panache that feels uniquely luxurious,\u201d says Hannah Chamberlain, author of How to Be a Better Drinker: Cocktail Recipes and Boozy Etiquette<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n Of course, mixing Martinis in your own home is as personal as it can get. Whether you\u2019re entertaining a crowd or having a more intimate night in, use these tips to set up your own Martini bar cart. <\/p>\n With limited real estate on a typical bar cart, William Elliott <\/a>of Maison Premiere<\/a> recommends sticking with just a couple of bottles of gin: an everyday workhorse like a classic London dry, and something overproof like Old Raj Blue Label. For vodka, the options are wide-ranging, but Elliott is partial to Truman vodka. \u201cI would put it up against any \u2018luxury vodka\u2019 on the market,\u201d he says. Once you\u2019ve chosen your spirits, if you have the space, Elliott also recommends storing them in the freezer, only taking them out to serve guests. \u201cBy freezing them, you\u2019ll just get an incredible mouthfeel and viscosity.\u201d<\/p>\n For vermouth, Imbibe<\/em> Editor in Chief Paul Clarke suggests bringing out the refrigerated dry and blanc vermouth as well as fino sherry, Cocchi Americano, and\/or Cap Corse quinquina for Martini riffs like the 50:50<\/a>. But keep an atomizer of vermouth handy for those who prefer a dry Martini, suggests Chamberlain. (See sidebar for atomizer options to create variations.) Simply mist inside<\/em> the glass before pouring in the cocktail. \u201cSpray over the glass and you\u2019re just getting this surface-level expression that\u2019s not really integrating into the drink,\u201d explains Elliott.<\/p>\n For added speed or limited space considerations, there\u2019s always the freezer Martini<\/a> route. Simply batch and freeze a bottle 12 hours beforehand.<\/p>\n Never underestimate the need for tools on your cart \u201cas they are as important as your ingredients,\u201d says Giorgio Bargiani, assistant director of mixology at The Connaught Bar<\/a> in London. \u201cMake sure your trolley is equipped with a mixing glass, strainer, stirrer, jigger, and a shaker.\u201d<\/p>\n Elliott suggests acquiring \u201cthe longest spoon they make at Cocktail Kingdom<\/a>.\u201d He learned from Japanese bar culture that a long (48 to 50cm) barspoon allows you to stir the cocktail faster, \u201cwhich means it gets colder faster with less dilution.\u201d He recommends stirring about 15 to 20 times. For a mixing glass, Elliott prefers the stemmed variety for added stability. \u201cYou can keep your hand around the base of the stem, almost like you hold the base of a wine glass,\u201d he says. The stem also makes it easier to hold with one hand and secure the strainer with the other.<\/p>\n Chamberlain says a good Martini should be served \u201cpainfully cold,\u201d and she recommends freezing diluted gin and vodka at a ratio of 4 to 5 parts spirit to 1 part water and placing them in ice buckets to maintain their temperature. To go the extra mile for a party or event, freeze a bottle in an ice block as Camper English<\/a> outlines in The Ice Book<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n For those pre-chilling the spirits (without dilution) and vermouth, you\u2019ll also want to bring out a small ice bucket for stirring the cocktail. According to Elliott, when you stir freezer gin with ice, in addition to diluting it, \u201cyou\u2019re loosening it up slightly \u2026 and enabling your palate to sense more detail in the gin.\u201d<\/p>\n Chamberlain also fills a large tureen with ice for keeping frozen coupes, dry vermouth, and a bottle of olive juice chilled. \u201cKeeping your vermouth and olive juice separate from your frozen gin and vodka allows you to add them at levels that suit your guests tastes, whether they prefer dry or wet, clean or dirty,\u201d she says.<\/p>\nStocking the Bar Cart<\/h4>\n
Tools<\/h4>\n
Ice<\/h4>\n