Vodka martini

A vodka martini, also known as a vodkatini or kangaroo cocktail,[1] is a cocktail made with vodka and vermouth, a variation of a martini.

Vodka martini

Cocktail
A vodka martini
Type	Cocktail
Primary alcohol by volume	Vermouth Vodka Soda
Standard garnish	Olive or lemon twist
Standard drinkware	Cocktail glass
Commonly used ingredients	6 cl (6 parts) vodka 1 cl (1 parts) dry vermouth
Preparation	Straight: Pour all ingredients into mixing glass with ice cubes. Shake well. Strain in chilled martini cocktail glass. Squeeze oil from lemon peel onto the drink, or garnish with olive.

A vodka martini is made by combining vodka, dry vermouth and ice in a cocktail shaker or mixing glass. The ingredients are chilled, either by stirring or shaking, then strained and served "straight up" (without ice) in a chilled cocktail glass. The drink may be garnished with an olive, a "twist" (a strip of lemon peel squeezed or twisted), capers, or cocktail onions (with the onion garnish specifically yielding a vodka Gibson).

The vodka martini has become a common and popular cocktail. Some purists maintain that, while it is a perfectly fine drink, it is not a true martini; which is traditionally made with gin.[2][3][4]

List of variations

Variations on a vodka martini exist, usually by adding further ingredients to the cocktail. There is some debate as to whether or not these are true martini.

An "Espresso Martini" is made with vodka, espresso coffee, coffee liqueur, and sugar syrup. It is popular in restaurants as a dessert. Many variations exist, but most involve shaking an espresso shot with the ingredients and served in a chilled martini glass. By shaking a fresh espresso shot it creates a hard layer of crema which is garnished with three coffee beans in the centre.[5]

A "Porn Star Martini" traditionally uses vanilla flavoured vodka. This is mixed with Passoã and passion-fruit juice, before being served in a martini glass, accompanied by a shot glass filled with prosecco.[6]

In creative works

• The fictional British Secret Service agent James Bond is famously known for ordering a "vodka martini, shaken, not stirred".[3]
  • The phrase first appears in the fourth book of the Bond novel series by Ian Fleming in Diamonds Are Forever (1956), but the Bond character is not the one that says it.[7]
  • A variation of the phrase is uttered by the villain Dr. Julius No, in the first Bond film, Dr. No (1962), but again, Bond is not the character who says it.[7]
  • It was first uttered by the Bond character himself (Sean Connery) in the third Bond film, Goldfinger (1964).[7]
  • Josiah Bartlet of the television show The West Wing takes exception to Bond's preference in martini. He explains: "Shaken, not stirred, will get you cold water with a dash of gin and dry vermouth. The reason you stir it with a special spoon is so not to chip the ice. James is ordering a weak martini and being snooty about it."[7]
• On the American television show I Dream of Jeannie, Jeannie makes vodka martini gush from a rock in the desert for Captain Nelson, calling it his "favorite potion" (though at the time he needed water).

See also

• Lemon Drop – a similar vodka-based cocktail prepared with additional ingredients

References

1. Heugel, Bobby. "Bobby Heugel's Weekly Cocktail: The Kangaroo Cocktail". Retrieved 6 September 2012.
2. Wonderich, David, "Vodka martini - The Wonderich Take," Esquire
3. Cocktails a Complete Guide to Bartending with Over 500 Cocktail Recipes. Boston: MobileReference.com. 2007. ISBN 1605011045.
4. Buffo, Peter (May 2004). "That martini mystique". Orange Coast: 174.
5. Cloak, Felicity (December 28, 2016). "How to make the perfect espresso martini". The Guardian. London, England. Retrieved January 27, 2017.
6. Abraham, Lena (12 October 2018). "Porn Star Martinis". Delish.com. Retrieved 29 August 2019.
7. Allison, Keith. "Martini & Myth Part 3: Shaken, Not Stirred". Retrieved 7 October 2016.