Julia Child's Favorite Dry Vermouth Came From An Iconic Brand - Tasting Table

"The upside-down martini, Child's iconic favorite cocktail, is a true inversion of what most people with strong opinions want from the drink. Martini fans will quibble over just how dry the cocktail should be, some argue that a 5:1 ratio of liquor to vermouth is the best, others claim 10:1 is ideal. The upside-down martini simply says, "let's make this refreshing," and goes with a 5:1 ratio of vermouth to gin (usually preferred over vodka in this drink)."

"Noilly Prat can lay claim as the original dry vermouth. Noilly Prat is named after its founder, the Frenchman Joseph Noilly. He was a grocer who sold spirits, and in 1813 created the first recipe for dry white vermouth. The red sweet vermouth predated other styles of vermouth by several decades after being invented in Italy, but Noilly used local French grapes and a unique aging process to create the straw-colored, less sweet version that would go on to be known as "French" vermouth."

"Noilly Prat didn't get its name until 1855 when Noilly went into business with his son-in-law Claude Prat, but not much about the vermouth has changed from the original 19th century production. Like many aperitifs and digestifs, vermouth is closely linked to the history of herbal medicines; Noilly Prat uses a secret mixture of 18 herbs and spices to flavor its dry vermouth, although it does reveal that ingredients like Tunisian bitter orange and elderflower are included."

Julia Child preferred an upside-down martini that inverts usual dryness by using a 5:1 ratio of vermouth to gin, creating a vermouth-forward, refreshing cocktail. The drink favors gin over vodka and presents a less austere character. Noilly Prat was Child's preferred vermouth. Noilly Prat began with French grocer Joseph Noilly, who created the first dry white vermouth recipe in 1813; the brand name appeared in 1855 after a partnership with Claude Prat. Noilly Prat uses French grapes, unique aging, and a secret blend of 18 herbs and spices, including Tunisian bitter orange and elderflower.

Read at Tasting Table