SHAKEN NOT STIRRED: James Bond's Vesper Martini

Today is National Martini Day, and perhaps the most iconic Martini is that of James Bond aka 007! The Vodka Martini is as synonymous with 007 as the Walther PPK and the Aston Martin DB5. James Bond first ordered his trademark drink  in Ian Fleming's debut novel Casino Royale (1953):

'A dry martini,' he said. 'One. In a deep champagne goblet.'
'Oui, monsieur.'
'Just a moment. Three measures of Gordon's, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it very well until it's ice-cold, then add a large thin slice of lemon-peel. Got it?'
'Certainly, monsieur.' The barman seemed pleased with the idea.
'Gosh, that's certainly a drink,' said Leiter.
Bond laughed. 'When I'm . . . er . . . concentrating,' he explained, 'I never have more than one drink before dinner. But I do like that one to be large and very strong and very cold and very well-made. I hate small portions of anything, particularly when they taste bad. This drink's my own invention. I'm going to patent it when I can think of a good name.'

Having invented his own signature drink for Bond, Fleming left the reader hanging for the name for the drink until Vesper Lynd entered the novel. Bond thought her name was perfect for his preferred drink:

'Vesper,' she said. 'Vesper Lynd.'... She smiled. 'Some people like it, others don't. I'm just used to it.'
'I think it's a fine name,' said Bond. An idea struck him. 'Can I borrow it?'
He explained about the special martini he had invented and his search for a name for it. 'The Vesper,' he said.
'It sounds perfect and it's very appropriate to the violet hour when my cocktail will now be drunk all over the world. Can I have it?'
'So long as I can try one first,' she promised. 'It sounds a drink to be proud of.'

The 'Vesper' Martini created by Bond in Casino Royale and liked by Fleming:

Add 3 measures Gordon's Gin
Add 1 measure Vodka
Add 1 measure blond Lillet vermouth
Shake very well until it's ice cold
Garnish with a slice of lemon peel

The medium-dry Vodka Martini preferred by James Bond in the films:

4 measures Vodka (use a tbsp or an oz as a measure to fill one cocktail glass)
Add 1 measure dry Vermouth
Shake with ice. Do not stir. (Shaking gives the misty effect and extra chill preferred by Bond)
Add 1 green olive ( James Bond prefers olives)
Garnish with a thin slice of lemon peel
Serve in a cocktail glass

Thanks to MI6-HQ.com for the citations

Cartoon of the Day: Siamese

LEVINE GRILLS LASSITER by Paul Levine & Jake Lassiter

LEVINE GRILLS LASSITER 
By Paul Levine and Jake Lassiter 

Jake Lassiter, the linebacker-turned-lawyer, first appeared in Paul Levine’s To Speak for the Dead in 1990. Nearly three decades later, Lassiter is still banging heads in the courtroom in the just released Bum Deal. Why does he switch teams and decide to prosecute a murder case, and why is this the last book of the series? Does Lassiter have C.T.E., the fatal brain disease afflicting former football players? Author and Hero trade punches about what it all means.

Paul: Sit down, Jake, and take a load off.

Jake: You busting my chops about my weight, noodle neck? 

Paul: What are you these days, two-fifty, two-fifty-five?

Jake: You’re the one who writes the descriptions, scribbler. I remember in Mortal Sin, you said I looked like a young Harrison Ford. 

Paul: These days, it’s more like an old Ford pickup. I shouldn’t have fed you so many burgers, poured you so many beers.

Jake: I’m as health conscious as the next guy, as long as the next guy is sitting on a bar stool. 

Paul: Maybe if you’d evolved into a modern man, you’d have a longer run.

Jake: Sorry that you can’t find my mug on Instagram. And that I don’t have a life coach, an aroma therapist, or a manicurist. And I sure as hell don’t do Pilates. 

Paul: Forget all that. Let’s talk about Bum Deal.

Jake: I’ve seen the promos. “Jake Lassiter: The Final Chapter?” What’s with that malarkey? 

Paul: You’re outdated and obsolete. And the word “malarkey” went out with spats and knickers.

Jake: Yeah, well you’re a nincompoop. What about the book? 

Paul: Bum Deal is the last of the series. That’s all.

Jake: That’s all! I got no life outside those pages. 

Paul: Time to hang up the briefcase, just like you hung up your cleats.

Jake: I didn’t retire. The Dolphins cut me, and I went to night law school. 

Paul: Same deal here. You’ve lost a step in the courtroom. Face it, you’re getting along in years.

Jake: Look who’s talking! When are you moving into the Old Writers’ Home? 

Paul: Deal with it, Jake. You’ve got brain damage from all those concussions playing football. You lose your train of thought. You’re more ornery than usual.

Jake: Look who’s talking, or did I already say that? 

Paul: In Bum Deal, you switch sides and prosecute.

Jake: The hell you say! I’d never do that. 

Paul: See, the ink is barely dry, and you’ve already forgotten. You’re appointed to prosecute a surgeon accused of killing his wife. Only one problem, or maybe three. No witness, no evidence, and no body.

Jake: That is a bum deal! You’re setting me up to lose. 

Paul: Aren’t you the guy who says, “If your cause is just, no case is impossible.”

Jake: That’s your wordsmithery. I just say the lines you feed me. 

Paul: Oh, one more thing. Your pals Steve Solomon and Victoria Lord defend the case.

Jake: Who? 

Paul: See what I mean about your thought processes.

Jake: I’m just messing with you, word boy. But, please not Solomon and Lord. I taught those two kids all my tricks. 

Paul: Sorry, Jake. You’ll just have to dig deep and try something new. How about sticking to the rules, standing by the facts, and living with the outcome?

Jake: Why do writers always say things in series of three? 

Paul: Probably because it’s pleasing to the ear, easy on the brain, and part of our hard-wiring.

Jake: Hilarious, pencil pusher. Say, why would I want to prosecute, anyway? My heart is with the little guy, not the behemoth of the state. 

Paul: You’re burned out. Too many guilty clients over too many years.

Jake: There’s truth in that. I lose a lot. Or plead my guy guilty. It’s a dirty little secret, but that’s the deal with most criminal defense lawyers. If anyone knew our real winning percentage, they’d jump bail and flee to Argentina. 

Paul: You’ve said that before, Jake. In Bum Luck. Remember?

Jake: Not my fault you’ve got so little imagination that I repeat myself, carbon copy boy. Bum Luck. Bum Rap. Bum Deal. What’s the next one, Bum Book? 

Paul: You forget already? No next book. This is it. The end. The final chapter. Finis. No más.

Jake: Jeez, you’re depressing me. 

Paul: Maybe this will cheer you up. Dr. Melissa Gold, an esteemed neuropathologist, takes an interest in you, during and after office hours. The two of you really connect.

Jake: So just as I’m losing my marbles, you’re giving me a lady that lasts? Is that fair? 

Paul: That’s life, pal.

Jake: I hope you get carpal tunnel in both arms, smart guy. You got any other happy news? 

Paul: Bum Deal is available in ebook, trade paperback, and audio. What else do you need to know?

Jake: Just tell me, this, you grim storytelling reaper. Is the last scene in the book my funeral? 

Paul: Would I do that to you, Jake? Really. Would I?

***

The author of 21 novels, Paul Levine won the John D. MacDonald fiction award and was nominated for the Edgar, Macavity, International Thriller, Shamus and James Thurber prizes. A former trial lawyer, he also wrote 20 episodes of the CBS military drama "JAG" and co-created the Supreme Court drama "First Monday" starring James Garner and Joe Mantegna. The international bestseller To Speak for the Dead was his first novel. His most recent books are Bum Rap (a Number One Amazon Kindle bestseller), Bum Luck, described by Bookreporter as "a one-sit, must-read novel full of memorable characters and unforgettable vignettes," and the newly released Bum Deal, praised in a "starred review" by Publishers Weekly for its "fascinating, fully developed characters and smart, well-paced dialogue." Visit Paul's website at paul-levine.com