How to Make a Martini Dirty

A martini is one of the all-time classic cocktails, and for good reason. Its small splash of dry vermouth smooths and moderates the sharp bite of the gin or vodka, but doesn't detract from its clean, cold, minimalist appeal. The briny olive provides a pungent foil to the fugitive fruity notes of the liquor, cleansing the palate and creating that all-important -- at least from the bartender's perspective -- desire for another. If the olive is your favorite part of the martini, you might want to take that a step further with a so-called "dirty" martini.