Vesper (cocktail)
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| Vesper | |
| Type | Cocktail |
|---|---|
| Primary alcohol by volume | |
| Served | Straight up; without ice |
| Standard garnish | lemon peel |
| Standard drinkware | "a deep champagne goblet" ie. a champagne flute |
| Commonly used ingredients |
|
| Preparation | Shake over ice until well chilled, then strain into a deep goblet and garnish with a thin slice of lemon peel. |
| Cocktail glasses are commonly used instead of Champagne goblets in modern versions of this drink. | |
The Vesper or Vesper Martini is a cocktail that was originally made of gin, vodka, and Kina Lillet (the closest modern equivalent is Lillet Blanc).
Contents |
[edit] Origin
The drink was invented and named by fictional secret agent James Bond in the 1953 novel Casino Royale.
"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."
—Ian Fleming, Casino Royale
[edit] Variations
Since many of the original ingredients from 1953 are no longer available or have been reformulated, several variations are available that attempt to recapture the original flavour of the drink:
- The original recipe called for Kina Lillet. Lillet Blanc (also known as Lillet Blonde) is a typical replacement.
- Dry Vermouth (e.g. Cinzano Extra Dry) may be used as an expedient in the place of Lillet Blanc if it is unavailable.
- To recreate the original bitter flavour of Kina Lillet, add a dash or two of Angostura bitters or a pinch (1/16 of a teaspoon) of Quinine powder.
- For a more traditional flavour, use 100-proof Stolichnaya Vodka to bring the alcohol content of the Vodka back to 1953 levels (it was also one of James Bond's favorite brands[citation needed]).
- Likewise, Tanqueray Gin provides the traditional flavour of 94-proof gin; whereas Gordon's Gin was reformulated to less than 80-proof.
- Some esoteric Bond fans may prefer to substitute Boodles British Gin, as it is named for Boodle's gentlemen's club, of which Ian Fleming was a member.
- A cocktail glass, which is larger today than was common in 1953, is often substituted for the deep Champagne goblet (see Champagne stemware for the original look of the drink)
- A "Green Vesper" substitutes absinthe for the Kina Lillet. Lime peel may be substituted for lemon.
- A "Matin" substitutes the Italian aperitif Campari for the Kina Lillet, and reverses the proportions of gin and vodka.
Esquire printed the following update of the recipe in 2006:
"Shake (if you must) with plenty of cracked ice. [Mix] 3 oz Tanqueray gin, 1 oz 100-proof Stolichnaya vodka, 1/2 oz Lillet Blanc, 1/8 teaspoon (or less) quinine powder or, in desperation, 2 dashes of bitters. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and twist a large swatch of thin-cut lemon peel over the top. [1]
[edit] Popular culture
The drink was popularized in the novel Casino Royale (1953) when ordered by its inventor, secret agent James Bond (Agent 007), to commemorate his strong feelings for its namesake, Vesper Lynd. Although there have been a teleplay and two films based on this book, the signature cocktail was only mentioned twice in the recent Casino Royale (2006 Film): when he ordered it at the poker table and several others followed suit, and when Bond states that he named the drink the Vesper, because once he tasted it, it was all he wanted to drink. The cocktail is also mentioned by its ingredients in Quantum of Solace, but Bond does not refer to it by name.
Because Kina Lillet has not been available since the 1960s (the name was changed to "Lillet Blanc", in the 1980s the quantity of quinine in the product was reduced, removing its bitter aftertaste), its mention in the recipe in the movies is anachronistic.
[edit] References
- Wondrich, David. "James Bond Walks Into A Bar... and orders a Vesper, a cocktail that hasn't aged too well. Here, a remake." Esquire. Retrieved September 8, 2008.
- "Shaken and Stirred, James Bond Loves His Booze" Time.com. Retrieved November 12, 2008.
- "Matin (Martini)" ZimZahm Productions. Retrieved July 6, 2009.
[edit] Notes
- ^ David Wondrich, "James Bond Walks Into a Bar...," Esquire, 1 November 2006.
[edit] External links
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