Cooking Basics

Dry, dirty, shaken — when it comes to tasty martinis, ordering can be a little more complicated than it should be. Before you hit the bars to celebrate National Martini Day (it's today!), get the full scoop on everything you need to become a martini maven.

Here, we're giving you the liquor lowdown on all the different drink versions so that the next time you approach the bartender, you'll sound as seasoned as James Bond or good ol' Karen Walker from Will & Grace.

• Gin or vodka: When you order a martini, you'll usually get a cocktail made with gin and a hint of vermouth — fortified wine flavored with a variety of herbs — in a five-to-one ratio. Expect an olive or a twist of lemon peel as garnish. Many martinis use vodka instead, but make sure to specify with the bartender if that's your preference.
• Dry, wet, or perfect: Ordering it "dry" is asking for a martini with less vermouth than usual. A "wet" martini — you guessed it — comes with more vermouth than the standard ratio. And "perfect"? Well, that just means the drink uses equal amounts of gin and vermouth.
• Shaken or stirred: "Shaken, not stirred" might sound familiar thanks to Mr. Bond. A shaken martini, mixed in a cocktail shaker with ice, usually produces an icier, cloudier, and slightly more diluted drink. A stirred martini chills the cocktail without diluting it quite as much from the ice.
• Dirty: Olive lovers are sure to appreciate a "dirty" martini. This version adds olive juice for an extra briny taste.
• Gibson: A gibson is still a martini; the only difference is that is comes garnished with a pearl onion instead of an olive or peel.
• Vesper: For something a bit different, try a vesper: a martini composed of gin, vodka, Lillet Blanc, and a lemon twist.

Of course, martinis come in flavored versions, like cranberry, too. Now that you have the entire 411, get ready, get set, and sip away!

Chef Amanda Freitag of Food Network'sChopped and Iron Chef America had a lot to say about pork during her cooking demonstration at the San Francisco Chipotle Cultivate Festival. Bacon lovers cheered as she drew a fat roll of pancetta out of the fridge. She made a pork chop topped with crispy pancetta, and along the way shared her best practices for buying, prepping, and cooking pancetta. Seasoned pancetta cooks and newbies alike should keep reading for some key pancetta-cooking tips.

Have you ever found yourself staring down the greens section of your market, shopping list clutched in hand, trying to determine which variety of kale is best suited to a recipe that simply specifies "kale"? Fret not! While any variety you might choose will likely do the trick, keep reading for a breakdown of the three most common varieties of this leafy green, and when it's best to use each.

Curly and Red Kale

Hearty, ridged, and almost frilly in appearance, curly and red kale can be used interchangeably; the main difference between the two is merely aesthetic. Use either in cooked dishes where the priority is helping sauce stick to the leaves, like vegan "cheesy" kale chips. Sauce will nestle into the leaves' nooks and crannies, much like the way chunkier pasta sauce clings to ridged pasta. Avoid curly and red kale in dishes where the green is served raw, as their heartier texture can be unpleasantly toothsome, even after ribboning or massaging.

Keep reading for the details on dinosaur kale.