How long to stir???? Is there an official standard???
I enjoyed two (Plymouth) gin martinis tonight, and decided to do a little experimenting.
To be clear, you always stir a martini. If you think it should be shaken, be forewarned that I will report you to the moderators, and there is a pretty decent chance you will be banned from SAF for life...
Tonight, instead of going by my normal '50' stir count, I actually timed the stirs. First martini was a stir for 30 secs. It was good... cold... but I tasted a fairly strong alcohol, although it felt less pronounced with each sip. I enjoyed it.
The second drink I stirred for a full two minutes. What a difference! It was colder, less 'harsh', more herbal. There was at least a 1/2 more oz in my cocktail glass, if not more, obviously due to the extra dilution. I definitely enjoyed it more.
I am wondering the practicality of a two-minute stir at a bar. Time is money. However, at home, I am definitely going for that two-minute stir from now on.