JAYPLAY 11.08.2007
Caramel apple, chocolate and white chocolate. These liquid pleasures sit in V-shaped martini glasses around a table of gabbing girls.
On a typical Thursday evening you'll find Nicole Hayes, Wichita graduate student, and her friends sipping martinis and conversing about the week's events at The Jayhawker, a bar located in The Eldridge Hotel, 701 Massachusetts St.
In September 2006 The Jayhawker started offering two-for-one martinis on Thursdays, which has cultured some students about the classy, sophisticated cocktail that has evolved from dry and dirty to sweet and flirty.
Luke Lawler, manager of The Jayhawker, says since September 2006, the Thursday special has exploded. The bar sells between 600 and 700 martins every Thursday evening and, in response to the trend, now charges a $2 fee to enter.
Hayes, a Thursday night regular, ignores the stresses of the week and delights in the abundance of the martini selection.
"They're like dessert with alcohol." Hayes says.
Teller's Restaurant and Bar, 746 Massachusetts St., also has a Thursday martini special. It offers $2 off martinis, which are regularly price at $9.
Bartender Aaron Storck says Teller's just revamped its martini menu, creating new martinis for the fall. Two of the newbies, Blood Orange—ginger-infused vodka made at Tellers, and blood orange—and Peperosa—vodkia,
white chocolate, fresh berries and pink peppercorn—are reason enough to stop in.
Like The Jayhawker, Teller's creates its martinis with Svedka vodka, which is considered a premium liquor.
Storck says the kitchen closes at 11 p.m. on the weekends but the bar stays open until 2 a.m. as long as people are drinking.
If a cozy hole in the wall suits your style better, stop by The Bourgeois Pig at 6 East $9^{th}$ St. for one of its custom martinis.
The bar doesn't have weekly specials, says bartender Dustin Kinsey.Instead, the special of the evening is decided by the bartender working.
However, the martinis aren't expensive. They range from $6.25 to $8.75 depending on the type.
The Bourgeois Pig makes its martinis
with Smirnoff vodka, another premium liquor. Kinsey says most people drinking a straight vodka martini will ask for Kettle One or Grey Goose, which will up the price a little. For example, a cosmopolitan made with Smirnoff costs $6.25 while one made with Kettle One costs $6.75.
Some other bars are hopping onto the martini bandwagon.
JB Stout's Sports Bar & Grill, 721 Wakarusa Drive, has a martini menu, but because of new management, the bar is changing its selection. The bar now uses Svedka vodkia but is switching it out for a higher quality vodkia. Don't worry, the current price of $6 to $8 should stay the same.
Danny Williams, the new general manager, is also planning on adding more martinis to the selection. Currently, the menu has 10 specialty martinis and
will add more classic options to the list
Williams says he hopes the new menu
will be out this week.
Another bar to watch for upcoming martini drinks is Quinton's Bar and Deli, 615 Massachusetts St. General manager Greg Mann says Quinton's is launching a martini night around Thanksgiving. Mann says the bar used to sell lots of martinis but has slowed down in the last year or two.
Martini night will either be on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month or on a different day of the week twice a month.
The menu is already compiled and contains martinis created especially for Quinton's, along with some martinis from The Aqua Lounge that used to be in The Granada. Mann does not know which vodka they will use, though he says it will
be premium.
Mann spoke about one of the martins on the menu called the Sicilian. He didn't know the exact ingredients but mentioned something about pepperonis.
Many theories exist for how the martini was created but no one knows for sure the exact details.
However they originated, martinis developed from the classic gin and vermouth to incorporating vodka and James Bond's memorable "shaken not stirred" cocktail.
"Sex and the City" expanded the idea of martinis, making cosmopolitans the ladies' drink of choice.
If you crave martinis but can't afford to order out, make your own at home.
Equipment:
You will need a shaker or a cocktail pitcher and stirring rod. Many martinis can be mixed with either device, however some drinks need cream, which is easier to mix when shaken.
Homemade martinis
Kim Haasarud, author of 101 Martinis, says the exposure of cosmopolitans started the martini craze that enabled people to be creative when exploring cocktails.
Jennifer Newens, author of The Best 50 Martinis, advises in her book to purchase a shaker or cocktail pitcher and stirring rod made of stainless steel
or glass instead of aluminum.The taste of aluminum can alter the taste of the drink.
Step 1:
Choose your favorite martini recipe and attain all the ingredients. Leanne Shear, co-author of Cocktail Therapy, says to purchase premium vodka. She says top-shelf alcohol isn't necessary, especially on a college student's budget, but don't reach for the bottom shelf with the plastic containers, either.
Step 2:
Add your ingredients, along with crushed ice to the shaker or cocktail pitcher. Shake or stir with the stirring rod for 10 to 15 seconds. The longer the shake or stir the more diluted the martini becomes.
Step 3:
Strain the cocktail into a martini glass and garnish it with an olive, lemon twist, cherry or any other contributing ornament.
"Martini went from gin to vodka to anything in a martini glass," she says. "You can even put something nonalcoholic in a martini glass and it could be called a martini."
Sip away at your martini of choice while donning the chic physique and attitude of a true martinian.
As with Hayes and her girlfriends, martinis may become a weekly tradition for you, too.
"I'm sure I'll be here next week."Hayes says.