On 2012-05-18 11:54:04 +0000, Jim Elbrecht said:

> [I don't use them in martinis--but I use them]
> Dad used an olive-- and there was a special kind he searched for, but
> the name escapes me.

I always get a twist when in a bar, I always use an olive or a cocktail
onion (more rarely) at home. I've tried lots of green, usually
pimento-stuffed olives but have never reached satori with that yet. I
don't like jumbo olives, pitted olives, vermouth-soaked olives. Some I
get are a little mushy, others too crunchy. It doesn't really modify
the drink much so it's not been a big concern yet.

> He also dipped the glass stir rod in Absinthe when we were at our
> summer place where there was a bottle purchased before it was banned.

I went through a long phase of trying two drops of various bitters.
Some ancient recipes used bitters and it was a long and slow process
before I abandoned the hunt. I'm not a purist at all, but I like my
variations explicit and intentional so I can adjust my thinking
directly. Actually the absinthe, particularly in such a small amount
sounds very interesting, and a nice touch for a summer day.

I just remembered that at home I regularly add exactly two drops of Fey
Brother's. Lemon Bitters.

>> That's enough info to navigate the *bartender* because that's really
>> the quest of martini drinkers. A glass of chilled straight gin sucks
>> as far as I'm concerned, and I'm primarily a gin drinker.
>
> I like mine with a splash of grapefruit juice.

I use to use two drops of Fee's Grapefruit bitters. On occasion of no
vermouth in a bar I've used a splash of campari.