Very Dry Martini

Catcher in the Rye, J. D. Salinger, 1951

3 oz. London dry gin

½ oz. dry vermouth

1 lemon twist, for garnish

Chill a cocktail glass in the freezer.

Place the gin and vermouth in a mixing glass, fill it two-thirds of the way with ice, and stir until chilled.

Strain into the chilled glass, garnish with the lemon twist, and enjoy.

I didn’t say anything for a while. I let it drop for a while. Then old Luce ordered another Martini and told the bartender to make it a lot dryer.

This novel was originally intended for adults, but has become a classic for generations of younger readers due to its critique of the hypocritical adult world. The main character, Holden Caulfield, finds himself at odds with his world at almost every turn. In this scene, he is talking with an old schoolmate, Carl Luce, at the Wicker Bar in New York, and trying to tease out of him all manner of things relating to sex and Luce’s sexuality. Luce orders the driest Martini possible.

“Dry” in this case refers to favoring a heavier alcoholic content, so that there would be far more gin than vermouth in a Dry Martini (as much as seven times more in some recipes!). The taste of the alcohol will be much stronger, perfect for navigating difficult conversations with old friends. Or not.