Cocktails

Martini visited again: Cherry Martini

Last week, we discovered together advantages and disadvantages which hide behind the technology of the cocktail shaker and that of the stirrer (“shaken and stirred? shaken or moved?”) and after some demonstrations and scientific experiments, it seemed that the agent 007 doesn't have forcing reason to drink its famous Martini cocktails “shaken, not stirred”.) et après quelques démonstrations et expériences scientifiques, il semblait que l’agent 007 n’a pas forcement raison de boire ses célèbres Martini cocktails “shaken, not stirred…”.
Let's leave now lessons of physical appearances behind us to lean this week, and as promised, on history and recipes of the most popular cocktail of our nice éthanolée planet.

To clarify any confusion, I have to to specify for most beginners of you, that it is here about cocktail Martini and about mark Martini.
Martini could surpass the test of time and is one of the most consummate cocktails in the bars of the whole world today, from New York to Singapore.

The original recipe of classical Martini points out the simple combination of Gin and of Vermouth Dry (for example mark Martini or Cinzano). As for many cocktails, the legend says that the favourite cocktail of Bound, James Bond, was invented in USA, but you won't be surprised to learn that question makes debate.

Many theories point out that the name of the cocktail is inspired from the city of Martinez to California. A cocktail of the same name and packaging of the Gin (Old Tom Gin to be more definite), some vermouth, some drops of Bitters and of Maraschino, was very popular among the gold-diggers towards the end of 1850s.
Another theory points out that Martini would have been invented by the famous professor Jerry Thomas, author of the very first literary work concerning the art of Mixologie and bartender to the Hotel Westerner from San Fransisco to the 19éme century.
It is also possible that Martini was only a simple variation of Martinez, cocktail which contains 50ml of soft Vermouth, 25ml of Gin, 2 drops of Maraschino and 1 drop of Bitters, shakés with icicles then filtered and served with a twist of lemon.
Anyhow, it is at the beginning of 1900s that the reign of Martini started. Then during Prohibition (1920-1933), Martini saw the popularity taking up, notably thanks to production as a whole of some Gin, quicker to produce than whiskey.
And finally, in 1960s, James Bond revolutionised not only the world of Martini but also the world of cocktails entirely, when he ordered his Martini for the first time “shaken, not stirred’” It is also in this epoch when the Vodka replaced the Gin in this emblematic cocktail.
The quantity of Vermouth contained in modern Martini by time diminished with years and some replace the Vermouth even with some Sake. Others prefer Tequila to the Gin or to the Vodka, or decorate Martini of an onion (in Gibson Martini). Some variations contain liqueurs in the chocolate or in the apple even of cool fruits: the possible combinations are infinite! Certaines variations contiennent des liqueurs au chocolat ou à la pomme voire même des fruits frais : les combinaisons possibles sont infinies !

Nevertheless the recipe which I offer you this week remains faithful to that of classical Martini and to change it is here about the creation of one of my British associates, Joel Constantinou, Ambassador of the mark of vodka Akvinta. For information, Akvinta is a luxury vodka produced in Croatia, in Mediterranean mind and filtered 5 times through the filters of carbon, of marble, of money, of gold and of platinum.
The recipe of Akvinta Marascho points out 75ml vodka Akvinta and 10ml of liqueur Maraschino (based on cherry) put together in a long glass filled with icicles. With the aid of a spoon, move ingredients (15 - 20 turns of spoons) and leak out in a glass in Martini. By way of decoration, to add a cherry fraiche. Suffer in short force-fed, as an aperitif or as an accompaniment of a dish of fish. En guise de décoration, ajouter une cerise fraiche. Déguster en courte gorgées, en apéritif ou en accompagnement d’un plat de poisson.

Quentin El-Bez
www.juicyshoot.com

Photograph © Laura Dronsfield
www.lauradronsfield.com