The tepidly received film didn’t mix up much trouble though, and the dispute was still just a mild gentlemen’s disagreement. Until the smooth Sean Connery claimed the iconic phrase in 1964’s uber-popular Goldfinger. Gin-based Martinis were the sophisticated cocktail of the 1950s, but the mid-‘60s cocktail world was shaken by the declaration as Mr. Bond ushered in a new era of vodka Martini drinkers.
Traditional
Martinis are, as my preeminent authority states, made with gin – from the
vintage Old Mr. Boston Deluxe Official Bartender’s Guide (38th
printing, 1967, page 116). “… pour in the dry gin first (gin should ‘smoke’ as
it settles over cold ice), then the Dry Vermouth. Stir briskly until drink is very cold. Strain at once into frosty,
stemmed cocktail glasses.” But then again that’s gin; does vodka require more
aggressive handling?
Adamant
… no shaking allowed …
The Uncorked Life insists that shaking
is cruel and unusual punishment. “I was disappointed — yet not surprised — to
see the little transparent flakes of ice floating on the surface of the drink.
These small shards indicated that the martini had been beaten and bruised as
the bartender shook it with violence in a cocktail shaker.”
Stirred Not Shaken“… in any but the
best cocktail establishments (read: most bars) I must specify that my drink be ‘stirred,
not shaken’ lest I receive a frothy diluted version of my beloved libation. I
cannot tell you how often I get a dirty look for making the request …”
Middle
of the road …
I love The Art of Manliness site (yes, I’m pure woman, but enjoy Brett and
wife, Kate’s, witty blogs), however, it’s a tad wishy-washy here: “Put the ice
in the container (a healthy handful of cubes, at least seven to eight, in my
opinion), and then pour in the vermouth. You want not only to coat the bottom
of the shaker/pitcher, but the ice as well. Give it a swirl, and then out it goes, right down the drain. Now,
it’s not necessary to shake it to death.” Interesting use of a word – swirl –
he avoided “shaken” or “stirred” altogether.
Shake,
shake, shake your booty …
From Martini-Recipe.com we find, “Martinis
need to be shaken. Shaking allows the ice to mix completely with the liquid,
cooling it. Stirring just doesn’t do it.”
The
BBC News even rang in on the
subject back in 1999, “Strictly speaking, Bond should be of pensionable age,
and the secret of his apparently ever-young appearance could be the larger
numbers of antioxidants in his shaken, not stirred Martini.” Hmmmm, Martinis
healthy for us?!
Mix ‘N Sip’s Elizabeth has her
own educational take on this titillating topic. “Even the British Medical Journal has got in on the debate and claims that
the shaken ‘tini may be healthier because of its antioxidant properties.
Meaning that the act of shaking introduces oxygen into the spirits. (Frankly,
if you’re concerned enough to care about that you probably shouldn’t be
drinking at all).”
So
martini-lovers world over, what’s your take on the shaken, not stirred
controversy? Does it depend on whether you’re imbibing of the original gin
recipe vs. Mr. Bond’s vodka mix? Would you rather have a few more antioxidants,
or not risk bruising and abusing your Martini?
Drink
preferences are much like politics … it could be the mood you’re in at the time
you mosey up to the bar (or polling booth) that determines your tasty choice.
Even Mr. Bond (aka, Fleming) had a change of heart … “In the book You Only
Live Twice, written in 1964, the phrase reverts
to ‘stirred, not shaken.’” (Martini Muse)
I’m
not sure how I feel about that. I love beer (too). But we’re talking persona …
there is just something special in the air when you’re sipping a Martini or
other cocktail. Brett (The Art of
Manliness) agrees, “As I said before, they aren’t to be made with amaretto,
or as big as a football, and they most certainly are never, never, never to be
drank while wearing jeans, t-shirts, or ball caps (whether worn frontwards,
sideways, or backwards. N. O. means NO!) Of course, a tux is the ultimate, but
not practical for most of us. A dinner jacket is nice. Or, a ‘loose flowing
sport shirt,’ i.e. a classy, not chincy (sic), Hawaiian shirt.
Cheers!
*I wrote this while watching the Chargers game - finished it before it ended, but did not publish 'til next morning ... ah, the vagaries of life.
Fun cocktail links besides those in the above article:
Most definitely shaken.
ReplyDeleteWhile I like to be a traditionalist, after learning about the antioxidants, I think you're right, Janie - time to switch to vodka Martinis and shake, shake, shake!
ReplyDelete