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Laura007

vodka martini

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was is the actual name of the vodka martini that james bond orders??

 

 

Ian Fleming gives a recipe for his Bond's preferred mix in the first Bond book, Casino Royale (1953), chapter 7:

 

"A dry martini," he said. "One. In a deep champagne goblet."

 

"Oui, monsieur."

 

"Just a moment. Three measures of Gordon's, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it very well until it's ice-cold, then add a large thin slice of lemon-peel. Got it?"

 

He calls this a vesper, after the beautiful double agent from the book

 

(n.b.: Kina Lillet is a brand of vermouth)

 

A traditional martini (as opposed to a vodka martini) is made with gin, dry vermouth and either an olive or a lemon peel. Nothing else. And a proper martini is stirred, not shaken.

 

A vodka martini substitutes vodka for the gin (or adds it to the gin, as Bond does) and sometimes allows other ingredients.

 

There are three main differences between a martini which has been stirred and one which has been shaken. First, a shaken martini is usually colder than one stirred, since the ice has had a chance to swish around the drink more. Second, shaking a martini dissolves air into the mix; this is the "bruising" of the gin you may have heard seasoned martini drinkers complain about--it makes a martini taste too "sharp." Third, a shaken martini will more completely dissolve the vermouth, giving a less oily mouth feel to the drink.

 

In a vodka martini, cold is key: a vodka martini that is not ice-cold tastes like lighter fluid. (not that I'd know what lighter fluid tastes like!! errr..) So you shake them. The experience of a traditional martini is more dependent on it being smooth and on not ruining the delicate flavors of the gin, so, it is traditionally stirred.

 

that may not answer your question - but now you know what to ask for at the bar - and why!!

 

8)

 

Phil

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i saw a list of different martinis and it was bothering me something terrible that i couldnt remeber what it was called, being a bit of a bond fiend it was doubly irritating!

 

thanks very much, i can now go to sleep and not wake up at 3am when i finally remebered! :D:D:D

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Phil you do show are very detailed knowledge of Martini varieties. Signs of a mis-spent youth?

:lol:

 

nah - my youth was spent drinking Cider & Black (how lethal was that!!) before graduating to real ale (everyone goes through that phase!)

 

who drinks Martini in their youth??? :lol:

 

my martini knowledge (apart from the bit about Bond's mixture being called a vesper - and I don't know why I knew that - possibly a quiz night??) comes from my friend Google...

 

Phil (hic!)

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