OC Cocktail Hour, Supplies, suggestions, salut!

[ivan]

Until further notice:

The Perfect Martini (lower case)

Chill 2 smallish Martini glasses.

Chill some olives impaled upon wooden picks.

Pack a metal shaker with ice. Pour in:

5 parts Gin, either Gordon's or Beefeaters, depending on mood.
1 part dry Vermouth. Can't go wrong with Martini & Rossi.

Shake until ice forms on shaker surface.

Strain into chilled glasses.

Plop in olive impaled on stick.

Libate.

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When making Martinis for me and P, the perfect 2-drink round works out to contain 100 ml Gin and 20 ml Vermouth.

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The Vesper Alternative.

I will not repeat here what Wikipedia so splendidly recounted on this subject other than to note the following:

1. It is delicious.
2. We have found that Beefeaters Gin, Moskovskaya Vodka and Angostura Bitters work admirably. However, I am intrigued by the possibility of acquiring a quantity of Quinine and dropping a dram or two into the mix. So something-de-ciecle.

[Priscilla]

Last evening, Ivan felt that a hotter drink was indicated, and so it was Beefeater for Cocktail Hour martinis.

And he was right, it was extra delicious.

And then, coincidentally, just today a British online acquaintance who is a cocktail expert mentioned tangentially that Beefeater is what the best bartender in London, a mate of his, uses for martinis. AND gave us a great idea for getting closer to the Ian Fleming-era Kina Lillet using today's reformulated Lillet, for a more Bondian Vesper.