Cuisine: Cocktails

Vesper Martini

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 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….

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Lillet Reviver

A message from my husband Eric...
Ever since Leslie returned from her year abroad in Paris with tales of the wonders—and apéritifs--of the City of Lights, Lillet has been a staple in our lives. When Drinking French entered our lives (thanks to Marc and Jessica), we naturally gravitated to anything with Lillet in it and this one does not disappoint. A flanker to the classic Corpse Reviver cocktail, the Lillet Reviver is fresh and truly reviving—the shot of gin doesn’t hurt, either. The good news is that you do not have to be a corpse to enjoy this tonic pick-me-up!

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L’Embrassadeur

David Lebovitz’s L’Embrassadeur cocktail (the name is a saucy mash-up of the word Ambassadeur and Embrassades or “hugs and kisses”) showcases the French peach-based aperitif RinQuinQuin — what Lillet is to orange, RinQuinQuin is to peach and pairs it beautifully with pink grapefruit and lavender. The lavender bitters we have are laced with CBD, having this cocktail at our house is a très relaxé affair, perfectly in tune with the times.

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La Marguerite

In the US, few remember that Cinco de Mayo celebrates Mexico’s victory over the French - I think that Empress Carlotta escaped, but Maximillian was lined up and shot at Puebla - so there is some irony in David Lebovitz’s French take on Mexico’s national drink, the Margarita. The use of the Bordeaux-based orange-infused aperitif Lillet makes this a much lighter alternative to the traditional Margarita but equally as delicious!

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White Knight

Last year, the British grocery chain Waitrose published an article on “Whisky Cocktails You’ve Never Heard Of” and the White Knight one caught my eye. A Scottish milkshake for adults, the White Knight is basically a Scotch-focused Brandy Alexander and is perfect for after dinner, when a nightcap and dessert become one.

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Keep Calm and Quarantine On Martini

If you are stuck at home and really want to chill out, this refreshing lemon/lavender cocktail—complete with a calming dose of CBD—might just be the thing to help us get through trying times like these.
I used Lavender CBD Bitters from Mountain ELixirs.
CBD Bitters – Lavender works well in cocktails made with white spirits like vodka and gin, and it matches nicely to sparkling wine in spritzes.
Suggested Use:
Add 5 dashes (5mg of CBD) to 10 dashes (10mg of CBD) to any cocktail or sparkling water
Botanicals:
Organic Super Critical Cannabidiol, Lavender, Chamomile, Calendula, Yarrow, Vervain, Wormwood
Benefits:
Hangover Prevention/Aid, Anxiety, Pain, Anti-inflammatory, Sleep Aid
Pairings:
Vodka, gin, tequila, tea, sparkling water

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The Ritz Dunhill Cocktail

My husband, my late friend Brady and my father all love things from British tobacconist turned luxury goods purveyor, Dunhill. Their belts, ties, leather goods and their colognes are all favorites. I think that if any of them smoked pipes they would smoke Dunhill tobacco in Dunhill pipes. One of the best Dunhill offerings is their EDITION cologne. This fresh, spicy scent has notes of Lemon, Lavender, Clove, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cedarwood, Sandalwood and Musk. Edition is a favorite of my husband’s, the scent he chose to wear on our wedding day. It drives me wild, but I won't go into that here.....

When this was launched in 1984, Dunhill had the launch party at the Ritz in London, around the corner from their Jermyn Street headquarters. They approached Bob, the master bartender at the Ritz bar, to create a cocktail that tasted the way this cologne smells--and thus the Dunhill cocktail was born. For a few years, it was listed on the bar menu at the Ritz. You can still order it, which was guaranteed to bring Bob out to see who the "in the know" drinker is. The late, great Bob, who passed away a few years back, shared the recipe with us and here it is--splash on some Edition, mix up one of these and enjoy!

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Basil Grape Crush

We went away last weekend to do some wine tasting in Santa Ynez. On the way home we stopped at this restaurant in Montecito, CA called the Honor Bar. The food was outstanding. I noticed they had a drink called a Grape Crush on the menu, which I had never heard of before. So my husband made me one when we got home. It's very refreshing. You can use red or green grapes.

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Wise Men Cocktail

For most, the Christmas season starts too early; by the time the day itself arrives, we are ready to clear out the clutter, spend our gift money on bargains and make resolutions to go to the gym. The reality is that Christmas starts with Christmas and lasts for twelve days, at which point the Epiphany season begins. The term epiphany means “to show” or “to make known” or even “to reveal.” In the Christian tradition, it remembers the coming of the wise men bringing gifts to visit the Christ child. The wise old man (also called senex, sage or sophos) is an archetype as described by Carl Jung, as well as a classic literary figure.

So, as we let our belts out a notch, head for the slopes, or just settle into our holiday rut, let’s focus for one brief moment on some holiday wisdom—or sagacity. To celebrate the season, here is a cocktail that focuses on the herb sage, or Salvia officinalis which is the perennial, evergreen plant that we use to season dressing, stuffing, pumpkin ravioli—and now, a cocktail!

Bourbon whiskey, infused with fresh apples and sage, forms the heart of this cocktail. Simply take an air-tight jar, fill it with Bourbon (I use Maker’s Mark) and add several fresh apple slices and a sprig of fresh sage. Let this sit overnight or even for a few days but not much longer as the sage can grow bitter if left in too long. Apple cider further extends the apple flavor and a rim of celery salt cuts through the sweetness and makes this drink—basically a Manhattan with cider instead of red vermouth—an off-sweet, celebration of seasonal flavors. The wisdom, we hope, will follow. I can’t vouch, however, for gold, Frankincense and Myrrh………

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Lillet Negroni

For those of you who do not like Campari—I fall firmly into that camp—there is a way to make a version of the famous cocktail the Negroni, but made with Lillet instead of Campari and dry vermouth instead of red vermouth. My husband made these with Lillet Rouge although the better known white Lillet is great for this drink as well. Eric added a dash of cherry bitters which gave it a slight amaro bitterness without the polarizing bitterness of Campari.

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