Friday Afternoon Cocktail: Churchill's Martini
Let's continue this new tradition with a classic of the genre: The Martini.
Preferences abound in this space, and there are all sorts of them. My own preference is for Hendrick's gin and a twist (not a slice you slack jawed nincompoop), of lemon. But let's get one thing straight: when making a martini, under no condition would I recommend following the advice of the film edition of that prominent and flamboyant British secret agent, who prefers vodka to gin and shaking to stirring. Bah, humbug to that - good taste in women, bad in cocktails.
No, the Brit you should listen to is The Right Honourable Winston Churchill. Churchill loved his martinis, and he was particular about how he made them. He demanded gin, not vodka or any mix of the two, and Plymouth gin to be exact. You'll know Plymouth because of its notable Mayflower motif, apparently because "Like the pilgrims, gin traveled from Leyden to Plymouth before coming to the New World." He was very light on the vermouth - the legend is that in place of it, Churchill would simply nod in the direction of France.
Stir, strain into a chilled glass, garnish with a large olive. Simple and good. Set the vodka aside for the moment, and drink like Winston while you read one of my favorite anecdotes about him, regarding his chance meeting late in life with Brigitte Bardot.
“When I was eight years old and heard you on the radio, you frightened me,“ said Brigitte, “But now you seem rather cute, considering you’re a legend.” Cute was not a word people normally used to describe Churchill to his face! The great orator remained speechless. “What are you doing in Nice?” Brigitte asked, in order to fill the silence. “Painting,” replied Churchill. “You are an actress, and I am a painter. We have art in common.” “My father bought one of your landscapes,” said Brigitte. “I don’t sell my paintings.” “Well, then your friends do. The painting my father bought has a hill, a parasol pine in the foreground and the sea in the background. Do you remember it?” “And on the right a broom bush in flower?” “Yes. Do you like to paint?” “I love painting. But I shall never go down in history with Cézanne.” “You know, my films are not nearly as good as your paintings. And I never won a war.” “That is no great loss,” Churchill concluded.”
Churchill can be seen in the above picture, with Bardot in the background. She is smiling, and so is he, as any man would in a similar circumstance. Drink to him tonight.
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Dec '10
Re: Friday Afternoon Cocktail: Churchill's Martini
This is the correct recipe.
I live in a hot climate, where just sitting still will keep you chasing off animals and insects, so I probably drink a quart of fluids per hour. If I was in a milder area, I suspect I would go with gin and just the salt and vinegar from an olive.
In my rougher clime, I stick to cheap, weak beers, very cold, straight out of the old freezer in the carport. The brand is unimportant and the pouring rain makes running out to the carport moderating.
May '10
Re: Friday Afternoon Cocktail: Churchill's Martini
I'm not a big fan of Plymouth Gin, but you can't argue taste...
...unless you are Judge Bork:
Mar '12
Re: Friday Afternoon Cocktail: Churchill's Martini
No shaking? Alright then.
Apr '11
Re: Friday Afternoon Cocktail: Churchill's Martini
What a great post! Please keep it up.
I love the recipes for the drinks and the stories as well.
Mar '11
Re: Friday Afternoon Cocktail: Churchill's Martini
Let's drink to Churchill's bust being returned to the Oval Office.
Dec '11
Re: Friday Afternoon Cocktail: Churchill's Martini
I would sooner drink to Bardot's bust.
May '11
Re: Friday Afternoon Cocktail: Churchill's Martini
The reason Bond drank the martini he did was because he was a spy. He had a preference for Polish or Russian vodkas because being accustomed to them when under cover during the early Cold War. Since most Polish and Russian vodkas of the 50's and 60's were potato based - bond admits grain based vodka is better - the martini is shaken because shaking a potato vodka martini makes it taste less oily.
The key here is that Bond is not using the best ingredients, he is using the ones he needs to be able to go under cover without giving away a tell. Bond may have been a connoisseur, but his choice of vodkas reflects something else. Unless you have a pressing need to go undercover in Stalin's Russia, you can drink a better vodka than Bond did.
Jul '10
Re: Friday Afternoon Cocktail: Churchill's Martini
For us martini neophytes, can you include some measurements for the various ingredients?
I don't even know how to make a lemon twist.
Aug '10
Re: Friday Afternoon Cocktail: Churchill's Martini
OK, that explains why James Bond drank "martinis" made with vodka, but since when did vodka become the norm? You order a martini these days, and you get vodka. Ask for gin instead, and the server is confused. Pah!
What's the point of vodka, anyhow?
May '10
Re: Friday Afternoon Cocktail: Churchill's Martini
Sorry, but any drink that is not at least 12 years old cannot lay claim to the affections of any true conservative.
Re: Friday Afternoon Cocktail: Churchill's Martini
Wylee Coyote: For us martini neophytes, can you include some measurements for the various ingredients?
I don't even know how to make a lemon twist. · 7 hours ago
Next week I shall absolutely do something on a proper twist.
Mar '11
Re: Friday Afternoon Cocktail: Churchill's Martini
I've recently had occasion to tour the Plymouth distillery and drink a martini Churchill-style in the gentleman's honor.
Aug '10
Re: Friday Afternoon Cocktail: Churchill's Martini
The Misthiocracy Martini
Spritz the inside of a martini glass with vermouth from a little spray bottle.
Pour 2 ounces of chilled vodka (bottle kept in freezer at all times).
Add 2 or 3 drops of lemon juice.
Aug '10
Re: Friday Afternoon Cocktail: Churchill's Martini
Also, shaking the martini melts the ice a bit, watering the drink down. Bond was usually on the clock when he ordered his martini.
His true drink of choice was the Vesper, from Casino Royale:
This is a lot of dialogue to recite, so it was later shortened to "Vodka martini shaken not stirred."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vesper_(cocktail)
Truth be told, in the books Bond greatly prefers bourbon and whiskey cocktails to vodka:
http://teleport-city.com/wordpress/?p=16658
Edited on June 9, 2012 at 8:19pmAug '10
Re: Friday Afternoon Cocktail: Churchill's Martini
Midget Faded Rattlesnake
OK, that explains why James Bond drank "martinis" made with vodka, but since when did vodka become the norm?
Simple: Ever since the James Bond movies popularized it.
Aug '10
Re: Friday Afternoon Cocktail: Churchill's Martini
Misthiocracy
Midget Faded Rattlesnake
OK, that explains why James Bond drank "martinis" made with vodka, but since when did vodka become the norm?
Simple: Ever since the James Bond movies popularized it.
You mean tradition and our tastebuds yielded to the fictional tastes of a fictional spy who spent half his fictional time boinking airline hostesses?
Bah!
Aug '10
Re: Friday Afternoon Cocktail: Churchill's Martini
Midget Faded Rattlesnake
Misthiocracy
Midget Faded Rattlesnake
OK, that explains why James Bond drank "martinis" made with vodka, but since when did vodka become the norm?
Simple: Ever since the James Bond movies popularized it.
You mean tradition and our tastebuds yielded to the fictional tastes of a fictional spy who spent half his fictional time boinking airline hostesses?
Bah! · 8 minutes ago
When did Bond ever boink an airline hostess? Name a single instance.
Pussy Galore doesn't count. She was a pilot, not a stewardess.
Aug '10
Re: Friday Afternoon Cocktail: Churchill's Martini
Misthiocracy
When did Bond ever boink an airline hostess? Name a single instance.
Well, he boinks women who look like airline hostesses.
And not everything a fictional character does has to happen on screen (or on the pages).
Anyhow, how accurate do you expect a gal who's got a nice rant going to be? ;-)
Edited on June 10, 2012 at 12:28amNov '10
Re: Friday Afternoon Cocktail: Churchill's Martini
The point is that it tastes like almost nothing. If you like orange juice, you'll probably like screwdrivers; if you like coffee, you'll probably like black Russians; etc.
Aug '10
Re: Friday Afternoon Cocktail: Churchill's Martini
Umbra Fractus
The point is that it tastes like almost nothing. If you like orange juice, you'll probably like screwdrivers; if you like coffee, you'll probably like black Russians; etc.
Ah. Never liked screwdrivers. Reminded me of OJ that's been open too long. One sip and I'd had enough. Why put vodka in your coffee when you can put something more delicious, like whisk(e)y, in instead?
In other words, I find vodka pointless because it tastes like "nothing". Not nothing, exactly, since pure alcohol has a definite odor and flavor. But it tastes like nothing interesting.
Alcohol's such a great solvent for aromatic compounds. If you're going to indulge in an intoxicating beverage, why not take advantage of this fact?
(We do use Everclear in the Rattlesnake household. It makes killer vanilla extract. But we'd never use Everclear in drinks. Ptooey!)