Martini glasses

Start with the capacity, because that is where it most often goes wrong. A shaken or stirred cocktail comes to eight to twelve centilitres, and that sits exactly right in a bowl of 15.5 to 21 cl: just below the rim, so you can pick it up without spilling. In a 35 cl glass the same amount looks lost. Large bowls are therefore mainly meant for cocktails with plenty of volume, such as an espresso martini with a foam head or a drink you top up with bubbles.

The second choice is the angle of the wall. A sharp V, like the America'20S from Bormioli Rocco, is the classic silhouette but slops over the rim easily when you walk. A bowl with a slightly curved wall, or a Nick & Nora of 15.5 cl, keeps the contents in better and has become popular in bars for that reason. Finally, look at the stem: thin and long looks more elegant, short and thick survives a busy evening better. For hospitality, the sets of six from Onis and RCR are the practical choice.

Chill the glass before pouring. Five minutes in the freezer, or one minute filled with ice and water, makes a noticeable difference for anything served without ice. Discard the ice water, shake the glass dry, and only then pour. A frosted coupe keeps the cocktail at the right temperature considerably longer than a room-temperature coupe.

What goes in determines the technique. Anything made solely with spirits should be stirred in a mixing glass and strained so the drink remains clear and silky smooth; that is how it’s done with a dry martini. As soon as you add juice, liqueur, egg, or coffee, shake hard, because otherwise you’ll never achieve the airy texture it requires. That applies to an espresso martini and to a cosmopolitan. Always strain, even stirred drinks, and twist a peel over the glass before placing it in.

Martini glasses rarely break while you are drinking from them. The damage happens in the dishwasher rack and during polishing. Place the bowls apart from one another in a rack with compartments, because stems knocking together are the biggest source of breakage. Choose a short glassware programme at low temperature and use little rinse aid, since a film on the bowl shows up immediately against the light.

Never polish a bowl by holding the stem and twisting the bowl round, because that literally twists the stem off. Hold the bowl itself instead and move the cloth inside it. Store the glasses upright on a shelf where the rim rests on nothing, with some space between the bowls. Limescale marks come off with a dash of vinegar in the rinsing water.

Are you looking for the smaller version with the curved wall? Those are listed separately under the Nick and Nora glasses. You’ll find the shallow bowl shape under champagne coupe glasses, and the glasses specifically designed for a coffee cocktail under espresso martini glasses. If you’d first like to see the full range of shapes side by side, start with cocktail glasses. And without tools, nothing gets into the glass, so also take a look at cocktail shakers, where you’ll find mixing glasses and strainers. Still unsure about the right capacity? The questions below will provide the answer.