Shaken, Not Stirred: 007’s Vesper Martini

Und so wieder, Dollinks …! Zu fortfahren! Which, in English, for those of you not drinking James Bond’s Vesper Martini at this very moment, loosely translates as “Let’s get on with the show.”

From 007's lips to my hips:
 007's Vesper Martini

It’s very, very late in the Time Zone and at the Latitude Where I Live, and I’m in my cups. Ron has made us gin martinis - shaken, not stirred - because we’ve been watching every James Bond movie there ever was, with the exception of the Niven-as-Bond atrocity (Don’t remember David Niven? Then you, little muffin, should be fast asleep in your cradle). 

We started with Dr. No, segued to From Russia with Love, sat at the edge of our seats through Goldfinger, staggered through Thunderball, thought we’d never make it through You Only Live Twice, and yawned through On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (I thought turkey time was over!). Forcing ourselves to stay awake for Diamonds are Forever, we saw each and every good and not-so-good and dreck (translation: extremely not-so-good) Bond movie until we are now - right now, Dollinks! - watching the final few scenes of Casino Royale (the new one, not the gobble-gobble David Niven one). 

We’ve gone through this exercise (a) because Ron is a James Bond fanatic and (b) because 2012 was the 50^th anniversary of Dr. No, the first Bond flick and (c) because I am nothing if not a realist, my ample hips and sloping chin having dashed my hopes of ever becoming a Bond girl. But back to recipes!

In Casino Royale, Daniel Craig orders a dry martini and tells the bartender how to make it. And this is what Bond says:

007 Vesper Martini:

One martini glass 
2 measures gin (Bond uses Gordon’s)
1 measure vodka 
½ measure Kina Lillet (a brand of vermouth made in France)

Chill glass and ingredients. Shake over ice; do not stir. Serve with a lemon twist. Yields 1.

Note: The recipe above is exactly as Bond stipulates in the film. There’s an utterly amazing website that details all things Bond at 

http://www.jamesbondlifestyle.com/product/vesper-martini

The recipe there calls for three measures of gin, but why believe a website? I trust 007’s word. Wouldn’t you? (For the answer to that, see my blog of Jan. 8, 2013.)