Vermouth

Vermouth is wine flavoured with botanicals such as herbs, roots and spices, then fortified with spirit. It is usually made in dry or sweet styles, and the exact blend of botanicals is often a closely guarded recipe.

Serve it well chilled, either neat or over ice, with a strip of orange or lemon peel. A splash of soda makes a lighter aperitif; dry vermouth is also commonly served with an olive.

Dry vermouth is pale, herbal and less sweet; sweet vermouth is usually darker, richer and often flavoured with warm spices. Dry is a classic choice for a Martini, while sweet vermouth is used in a Negroni or Manhattan.

Recap the bottle and keep it in the fridge, where it will retain its flavour better than at room temperature. Use it within about a month or two; its herbal aromas fade as it oxidises.

Yes. Use dry vermouth to deglaze a pan for fish, chicken or mushrooms, or add a splash to risotto; it brings herbal flavour as well as acidity. Start with less than you would use of wine, since its botanicals can be pronounced.

For a Martini, use another dry fortified wine if available, or a small splash of dry white wine for a less complex result. For cooking, dry white wine is the most straightforward substitute, though it lacks vermouth’s botanical flavour.

An unopened bottle keeps well in a cool, dark cupboard. Once opened, warmth and air gradually dull its flavour, so refrigerate it and avoid leaving the bottle uncapped.