1. Chill a coupe or martini glass.
2. Fill a mixing glass with ice.
3. Add gin, vermouth and bitters to mixing glass; stir until well chilled.
4. Strain mixture into chilled glass; garnish with a lemon twist.

Tasty Tip:

• You can also make a martini with vodka.
   

Good Question: What is vermouth?

Vermouth is a fortified, aromatized wine used to add complexity to certain cocktails. Dry vermouth, which originates from France, is dry and floral and is famously used to make martinis. A classic martini typically calls for an equal ratio of gin and dry vermouth. A dry martini is made with very little vermouth (the less vermouth, the drier the martini). An extra-dry martini means there is no vermouth at all or that the glass has simply been rinsed with vermouth.

Sweet vermouth usually comes from Italy. It is sweet, spicy and herbaceous. It's sometimes used in Manhattans, Negronis and the like.