Sorry, sorry – I just couldn’t resist wheeling that line out at least three times on my way around the 007 Exhibition at the Barbican centre recently, and I’m quite sure the mixologist in the Martini Bar was sick of it long before I tipped up.
Nonetheless, you can’t beat a classic martini and after perusing the stunning costumes and props from the James Bond movies, that’s exactly what my friend and I went for.
Despite being served a little on the large side (at 4pm on a Saturday afternoon, we left with a serious case of the beer munchies), it provided perfect liquid refreshment on a muggy London afternoon.
While the classic Bond (Vesper) martini is a blend of 3 parts Gordon’s gin, 1 part vodka, ½ part Kina Lillet, and a twist of lemon peel, my favourite version of this simple cocktail is as follows…
Ingredients
3 parts Gordon’s gin
1 part dry vermouth
3 pitted green olives
½ tsp olive brine (if you hear someone refer to a ‘dirty martini’, this is what they mean)
Method
Shake the gin and vermouth in an ice-filled shaker until cold. Strain into a large cocktail glass. Add the brine and the olives on a cocktail stick. Serve immediately.
