Shake it up as we toast James Bond in “Casino Royale.” And to answer the “vodka or gin” question, the Post’s cocktail expert, Tucker Shaw, tells us that in Ian Fleming’s 1953 book, Bond drinks a vodka/gin martini called a Vesper (after one of the characters).
The spy switches to vodka martinis – specifically Smirnoff – starting with “Dr. No” (1962), the first Bond flick. He never drank a plain, old gin martini, although he occasionally has had a gin and tonic, Tucker says.
Vodka Martini
Denver Post dining critic Tucker Shaw makes the best martini ever. Here’s how:
Ingredients
2 ounces vodka
1/2 ounce dry vermouth
Garnish of choice (olive, onion, lemon twist)
Directions
Step 1: Fill your martini glass with ice water and let it sit while you prepare the drink, so that the glass gets cold. (Alternatively, keep your martini glasses in the freezer.) Set aside.
Step 2: Skewer 1 or 3 olives. Never an even number. Set aside.
Step 3: Fill shaker halfway with ice cubes. NEVER use crushed ice.
Step 4: Carefully measure 2 ounces vodka and 1/2 ounce vermouth. Add them both to the shaker.
Step 5: Cap shaker, and shake semi- vigorously for 30 seconds, or until shaker begins to bead with moisture. Set aside.
Step 6: Dump ice water out of glass. Place garnish in glass.
Step 7: Give shaker one last shake, for 10 seconds. Carefully strain martini into glass. You should not fill it to the rim, because that just makes it too hard to sip and ensures that your drink will get warm before you finish it. Make smaller portions, and make more of them if you need to.
Step 8: The stem is there for a reason. Hold the glass by its stem while you sip. Never hold it by the bowl, or your body heat will warm your martini.
Want to submit a recipe or movie for consideration? Send an e-mail to Kristen at kbrowning@denverpost.com.
