Sherman McCoy, “The Bonfire of the Vanities,” Thomas Wolfe

Martini

In the interest of turning over a new leaf and starting the year right, let us take Mr. McCoy as a prime example of redemption. Sherman was lost to the decadence of the 80’s, the shallow quest for more money, of building that perfect house of cards. If we look to that other perfect example of the 80’s, “Cocktail,” then we see that people’s drinking habits were every bit as vacuous as their lifestyles. But by the end of the book he had rediscovered his soul. Now, well into the new millenium and given that Wall Street is yet again an empty suburb of card houses, we drink more cold vodka than anything else. So let us pull in from the frippery of the end of last century and the lack of flavor of our vodka swilling new millneium and split the difference. Embrace the juniper! Embrace the dry vermouth! Throw in a lemon twist or some olives and let us, like Sherman, take back our soul. Soul, in this instance, equals flavor with substance and spirits with flavor. Remember: cold vodka does not, and never will, a martini make.