Martini served with single piece of ice: a diamond

By New York Daily News

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NEW YORK — At $10,000, this cocktail is bound to leave you feeling more shaken than stirred.

The Martini on the Rock is the newest addition to the menu at the Algonquin Hotel. It comes with a single piece of ice — a diamond from the in-house jeweler.

Not a single glass has been sold, but hotel officials hope the glittering gimmick catches the eye of a would-be bride or groom. "This is a great lobby, where you can hang out and talk," said Anthony Melchiorri, the hotel's general manager. "Or where you can ask someone to marry you."

The Algonquin once drew literary notables such as Dorothy Parker, whose witticisms included: "I love a martini — but two at the most. Three, I'm under the table; four, I'm under the host."

The only catch for big spenders is that the drink order — and diamond purchase — must be lined up at least three days in advance with Bader & Garrin, the hotel's jeweler.

The martini's actual price depends on the size and cut of the rock, but its liquid ingredients — a mix of Belvedere vodka and Martini & Rossi vermouth — remain as classic as ever.

Copyright © 2004 The Seattle Times Company

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