He looked carefully at the barman.
"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?"
"Certainly, monsieur." The barman seemed pleased with the idea.
-Ian Flemming, Casino Royale (1953)
With those fateful (one could argue fatal) words, the future of the gin martini was spelled out. In another decade, the mastermind behind the marketing of Smirnoff will have found the James Bond movies to be the perfect vehicle for the placement of his comparatively new product, vodka, in a popular culture setting that would forever change the landscape of spirits consumption in America. The king of all cocktails, the noble gin martini, with the introduction of a measure of vodka in Bond's Vesper, would eventually be diluted and reduced to the "martini" that is so tragically consumed today, in and out of Bond movies: Vodka--shaken, not stirred.
This story is well known in cocktail circles, but is concisely described in Dale's beautiful new book, The Essential Cocktail. Dale points out that he erred in pandering to vodka drinkers in his first book, wherein he reversed the ratios of vodka and gin. Thankfully for him he had the opportunity to correct himself in this volume; thankfully for the rest of us, Dale wrote this gorgeous book for us to drool over, as we read it in bed, falling asleep with visions of sugar rims dancing in our heads.
The reason why we decided to make the Vesper is because Tipsy's Dad had recently attended a Bond-watching party where the cocktail had been made.
We were at Tipsy's parents' house in Dallas (yikes--actually Plano) last weekend and of course had to roll up with a big crate of bar supplies. Tipsy's dad likes to have a good time. Last year we were up there for Christmas and around 11:30 his dad sat down to supervise the frying turkey and said, "Is it too early for a martini?" "No sir it is not!," I shouted enthusiastically as I headed for the bar.
If you have heard this story from me before I apologize for the redundancy, and also warn that it may happen again. The reason is not that I think it is particularly unique or humorous, but rather that I think it reflects a healthy holiday strategy that I think everyone should practice: when there are 9 children under the age of 13 in the house, plus all of their assorted parents and pets, it is time to start drinking. Don't be afraid to start with a Martini, no matter how early it is. Have some Manhattans as the day slides by. Maybe some Eggnog in the afternoon. Some beer if you are feeling a little more than a little tipsy. Just keep the supply coming.
That said, Tipsy's dad's bar, while adequate for the average drinker, is insufficient for such obsessive imbibers as ourselves. Thus we bring a tub or two of supplies when we visit. What I like about the bar at their house is that it is built in true 1970's fashion, recessed into a wall in the living room, behind two french doors. Glass shelves, mirrors, faux wood laminate, orange wallpaper--the works. Also in the mix is an equally vintage selection of spirits--gin and brandy of course, but also treasures like Irish Mist and my favorite, Galliano.
Comments (2)
You know, I like the Vesper. It's tasty, got some complexity. Not bad. But I'd love to actually try it with the original Kina Lillet.
Any of those bottles behind the mirrored bar in Plano?
Posted by Bill | December 4, 2008 12:17 AM
Posted on December 4, 2008 00:17
Bill--If wishing made it so! No vintage Kina Lillet to my knowledge (we had to import this contemporary model from nearby Frisco since Plano doesn't tolerate liquor stores in its jurisdiction.)
This makes me think of a great community service project we could do: you know how KUT has that Vehicle Donation Program, where they pick up your old car and you get a tax deduction? I'm thinking we could do something like that with liquor--can you hear the ads? "Is that old bottle of Kina Lillet keeping you from organizing your pantry? Is that pesky bottle of pre-ban Absinthe wreaking havoc in the bottom of Grandma's china cabinet? Let the Tipsy Texan Spirits Collection Program help! We'll take care of everything. We'll pick up those dusty old bottles and make sure that they are disposed of safely and properly. Peace of mind for you, piece of history for us!"
Something like that. Isn't Brannon a lawyer? Have her figure out how people can receive a tax credit for donating to the Tipsy Texan Spirits Library Foundation...
Posted by Tex | December 4, 2008 9:23 AM
Posted on December 4, 2008 09:23