Cocktail Corner – June 2015

National Martini Day Recipes

Bogarts-Press-Ads-Magazine-5sFriday, June 19th is National Martini Day, and MITM is participating in the annual observance by having Robbert de Klerk, co-managing partner with Stephen Bogart at the Humphrey Bogart Estate and the co-creator of the annual Humphrey Bogart Film Festival in the studio.  The Humphrey Bogart Estate has partnered with ROK Drinks in creating Bogart’s Real English Gin (and the soon to be released Bogart’s Vodka).  The following recipes come from renowned Los Angeles bartender, John Apodaca, of Daddy-O’s Martinis who has frequented our studio to demonstrate these and more beverages (both traditional and those of his own creation).

Classic Martini

1 1/2 oz of Bogart’s Real English Gin
3/4 oz of dry vermouth
1 dash of orange bitters (Regan’s or Fee Bros)

Shake all ingredients together very hard for about 30 seconds and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with olives.

 

Dry Martini (1930 version)

This version is from The Savoy Cocktail Book published in London in 1930.  The term ‘Dry’ refers to the use of Dry (or French) Vermouth, and the ‘Dry’ style of gin as opposed to the older ‘sweet’ gins (like Old Tom) that were popular in the 19th century.  At some point the term ‘Dry’ stopped referring to the type of vermouth and gin, and started to refer to the amount of vermouth used. Ernest Hemingway ranked Dry Martini drinking somewhere between bull fighting and big game hunting in his ranking of the manly arts.

2 oz Bogart’s Real English Gin
1 oz dry vermouth
Dash of Orange Bitters

 

Vodka Martini or Vodkatini (1951)

This recipe is from Ted Saucier’s cocktail book ‘Bottoms Up’ from 1951.  Originally made exactly like a very Dry Martini without the bitters.  Not until the late 1960s did bartenders start leaving out the vermouth altogether.

2 ½ oz vodka
1 teaspoon dry vermouth
Olive or twist of lemon for garnish

 

Breakfast Martini

Invented by Salvatore Calabrese while he was working at the Lanesbrough Hotel in London back in 1990s.  I consider this the gateway drink for non gin drinkers to get them to try it without the piney aftertaste and it’s also one of Brad’s favorite cocktails.

Salvatore also helped to open Mixology101 at Los Angeles’ Farmers Market, so if you’re in Southern California, you can go there to try it.

1 1/2 oz Bogart’s Real English Gin
3/4 oz fresh squeezed lemon juice
3/4 oz Cointreau
1 teaspoon light marmalade
1 slice of mini toast for garnish
Shake ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass, garnish with mini toast.

 

Garden of Allah

2 oz Bogart’s Real English Gin
1/4 cup cantaloupe puree
1 oz simple syrup
3/4 oz grapefruit juice

Place all ingredients into a shaker with ice, shake hard and double strain into a chilled 4 – 5 oz. cocktail glass.

 

Vesper

In the first of the James Bond novels, “Casino Royale,” Mr. Bond creates his one and only cocktail, which he calls a “special martini”.  He eventually names it a Vesper in honor of his doomed love-interest, British agent Vesper Lynd.  Notice that in the novels, not only does Bond drink a number of different cocktails, but the one he creates is mostly Gin and not Vodka.  Only in the films does he insist on drinking Vodka Martinis, and that only came about through a product placement deal with Smirnoff.

3 oz Bogart’s Real English Gin
1 oz vodka
½ oz Lillet Blanc (Kina Lillet in the novel, it’s old name)
Lemon peel (for garnish)

Place all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake vigorously.  Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.  Garnish with lemon peel. 

 

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