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"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.
... Bond laughed. "When I'm concentrating," he explained, "I never have more then one drink before dinner. But I do like that one to be large and very strong and very cold and very well-made... This drink's my own invention. I'm going to patent it when I can think of a good name."
He watched carefully as the deep glass became frosted with the pale golden drink. He reached for it and took a long sip.
"Excellent," he said to the barman, "but if you can get a vodka made with grain instead of potatoes, you will find it still better. Mais n'enculons pas des mouches," he added in an aside to the barman. The barman grinned.
"That's a vulgar way of saying 'Let's not split hairs,'" explained Bond to the American.
Yes, it was Ian Fleming who made the martini a Bond classic in the unforgettable 'Casino Royale.' Luis Bunuel was the first to say that the Martini was a surrealist experiment.
The origins of the Martini
The martini is an American discovery and the king of cocktails. The way it'sprepared is also the subject of international debate. It has an Anglo-Franco-American-Latin genealogical rots. Its name is derived from a barman named Martinez, who was working in the Knickerbocker Hotel in 1910. At first, Martinez mixed gin with either one-third or one-half of vermouth. However, he increased the dose and it became a real sek martini with 90% gin. This is the official recipe, but in practive, according to the famous barmen at the Savoy, a few drops of Noilly Prat should be added, that is, the amount of vermouth shouldn't exceed 3-4%. Should it be made with gin or vodka? Shaken or stirred? Should one add an olive or a twist of lemon? It's really up to you!
