THE VESPER

Spent Sunday night having a wonderful Saint Patrick’s Day dinner at home with friends, especially one from the east coast who likes Martinis almost as much as I do. However, this time around, I made a pitcher of Vespers, James Bond’s Martini from an Fleming’s Casino Royale. The recipe, for those who wish to imbibe, is:

3 ounces gin
1 ounce vodka
1/2 ounce Lillet blonde

Shake ingredients with cracked ice; strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon peel.

Like Bond himself, it’s a drink that’s smooth and deadly. Just hand Blofeld the keys to your Aston Martin ahead of time, if you plan to drink a couple of these at a party.

For more information about the Vesper, check out this page about it, and the many other wonderful libations on the same site.

For more information about Martinis in general, their history, celebrities who drank them, and much more, check out Barnaby Conrad’s fun book on the subject,
The Martini : An Illustrated History of an American Classic.