Vesper Martini
Posted on September 9, 2010 by Leslie Blythe 1 comment
Shaken, not Stirred…..
That phrase instantly brings to mind that most iconic of Martini drinkers, Ian Fleming’s Bond– James Bond, that is. What do we know about this fictional character beyond the fact that he was a hard-drinking, chain-smoking womanizer? He was well dressed, a bit of a foodie and not afraid of bucking convention. Nowhere is this more evident than in his choice of drinks. While he is famous for ordering Martinis and dictating that they be “shaken, not stirred,” he does not stop there. Fleming provided his readers with the actual recipe for their hero’s favorite cocktail and it certainly bucks the conventional notion of a Martini.
In the 1952 novel Casino Royale, Bond orders a special Martini, to be named after that book’s lead female character, Vesper Lynd:
“A dry martini,” Bond 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?”
“Certainly, monsieur.” The barman seemed pleased with the idea.
“Gosh, that’s certainly a drink,” said Leiter.
Bond laughed. “When I’m…er…concentrating,” he explained, “I never have more than one drink before dinner. But I do like that one to be large and very strong and very cold and very well-made. I hate small portions of anything, particularly when they taste bad. This drink’s my own invention. I’m going to patent it when I can think of a good name.”
What strikes me the most about this drink—in addition to the unusual mixture of gin and vodka—is the use of Lillet instead of vermouth. Now, I am not much of a Martini drinker these days, but I have always loved Lillet, that wonderful French aperitif that is usually served over ice with a twist of orange. Lillet is a fortified wine made with Bordeaux wine and citrus liqueur and comes in red and white versions. Made since the 1880s, this originally contained quinine—hence the name Kina Lillet, but was reformulated in the 1980s without the bitterness of quinine. What you can buy today is a wonderful light citrus aperitif that should be stored in the refrigerator and served very cold.
Vesper, of course, means the evening star—or the religious services held during the the sixth of the seven canonical hours, in the late afternoon or evening. The perfect time to enjoy a Martini….. So, strap on your Walther PPK, don your dinner jacket and treat yourself to a Vesper—me, I’ll stick to a Lillet on the rocks.
By the way, while Bond claims only to have one drink before dinner, I call any drink with four and a half shots of booze a double at the very least….
