We are excited to bring our Drink of the Month series to ReadyMade. Our goal is to help you expand your interest in a variety of liquors you may never have thought about purchasing or mixed drinks you have never considered ordering. Maybe you'll discover something new and delicious? Have you ever been taken out to a nice dinner, crept up to the lovely, sophisticated bar and froze because you had no idea what to order for that first drink? If so, this month's D.o.t.M (Drink of the Month) may be for you. Today, we’re bringing back a drink your grandma may have ordered---vermouth. Until a trip to Spain a few years ago, I had no idea that vermouth was used for anything more than a mixer in my martini. Many Americans would never consider ordering a plain vermouth on the rocks as an apéritif, but it is  perfect. Whether you’re feeling something a bit sweet (red vermouth) or want something drier (white vermouth), there is a vermouth for you.

 

 

Did you know that vermouth is really just a fortified wine? It's made out of very sugary wine grapes with a bunch of spices and herbs added to it. Created by Italian Antonio Benedetto Carpano in the late 1700s, vermouth is still adored throughout France, Italy and Spain and is beginning to make a comeback in the US. Europeans often drink sweet and dry vermouth simply in a highball glass, with a few ice cubes and maybe a slice of lemon. In Spain, you'll find vermouth, or vermut, on tap right alongside the beer. In Rome, you’ll find the locals sitting outside a trattoria in the late afternoon, catching the last bit of sun on their faces and sharing a vermouth with a friend. I imagine the first Italian immigrants to the United States brought with them their love of vermouth, but over the years it has become a forgotten and often misunderstood liquor. In fact, people feel just as passionate about the flavor and freshness of their vermouth as you would do about that perfect bottle of Barolo. (Refrigeration is key to keeping your bottle of vermouth fresh.) It's also excellent in cooking, used as a substitute for wine in many recipes. As noted before, most of you will know vermouth as an addition to your cocktail, most notably, dry vermouth to the martini. But, to me, a close second to a perfect martini is a drink that uses red or sweet vermouth. It is a potent, but delicious cocktail that is near and dear to my heart, the Manhattan.

 

 

Close your eyes and imagine, if you would, an 88-year-old Italian-American named Carl and his bride of almost 60 years, Swedish-American Gloria. They met in New York City, a poor boy from Brooklyn, and a glamorous chick from Great Neck, Long Island. They now live in Florida, naturally. Their 1992 Buick Park Avenue license plate reads (yes, I'm serious), CarlGlo. They still go dancing at the Italian-American Club two or three nights a week (CarlGlo have been members for so long that they are now seated at the "best" table which they call "theirs"). They have friends---a lot of friends. More friends than the average 20-year-old! They are still each others' best friend. They have been through a lot of life, but still enjoy living. They are my paternal grandparents. I'm blessed that they are both still alive. Since Carl retired from his "get-a-gold-watch-if-you-make-it-to-forty-years" job with Olivetti ("the Italian business machines" as Carl says), CarlGlo have maintained a daily ritual---relaxing with a bowl of Cheetos and a Manhattan at noon. When I was little, I didn't really know what the Manhattan was. I probably thought Nana and Popo were drinking iced tea, but the relaxing and the Cheetos, oh yes, I totally got that. Nana and I used to sit together, look at a Cheeto and try to figure out what it looked like. A man's face? A bird? A blob? Come to think of it, Nana's Manhattan probably helped her come up with some really creative answers! As I grew up and started a fast-paced life in New York City, I often longed to have moments like CarlGlo---sitting in the Florida sun, taking that time to sit together and chat, relax, laugh and eat Cheetos. Because of this I started to rediscover the Manhattan. It has quickly replaced the Dirty Martini as my go-to cocktail. Manhattans are not for the faint of heart. This sweet and sassy drink is pretty strong. Even if you are not a whiskey drinker, don't be afraid to try a Manhattan. The sweet vermouth balances it out and even brings out the  nuanced flavors of the whiskey. It is the type of drink you nurse, you linger over, you relax with. CarlGlo really did have it right. I invite you to channel your inner European and try a sweet or dry vermouth on the rocks or, possibly, channel your inner CarlGlo and relax with a Manhattan. You won’t regret it.

 

 

THE MANHATTAN (serves 1) • 3/4 ounce sweet vermouth • 1 1/2 ounce rye whiskey • Optional but traditional: 1 or 2 dashes of bitters • 1 maraschino cherry and a small splash of maraschino juice What to do: 1. Chill your martini glass by filling it with ice and allowing it to sit for 4 to 5 minutes. 2. Fill the shaker with ice and add all the ingredients except the cherry. 3. Shake vigorously. Shake vigorously again. And again. This drink should be c-o-l-d. 4. Throw ice and any water that accumulated out of the martini glass. 5. Strain shaker contents into the martini glass. It will pour out slightly cloudy but will settle after a couple of moments. Be patient. 6. Add a cherry to the Manhattan and serve immediately. 7. Enjoy with Cheetos (optional).