Jacquie Severs

I came home from work a little late today and decided for my extra effort I deserved a martini. As I was shaking it I thought, "I should blog about Martinis" and as these things generally go, as soon as I decide to blog about something I must do it immediately. The first thing I did was google "Martini Quotes". I thought it might give me a kicky title, but the first result was this quote from Doug Coupland (who, if you've been reading my blog, you will know I'm a bit of a fan girl for).

"Fondue sets, martini shakers and juicing machines: three things the world could live completely without." - Doug Coupland



I'll leave fondue sets for another day; suffice it to say I love those too. But Martini shakers? I am guessing from this that Mr. Coupland isn't much of a martini drinker because anyone I know who drinks martinis uses a shaker.




The argument exists that the proper way to make a martini is to stir it. Shaking it damages the molecules, though it seems shaking is is the 'healthier' way (if there is such a thing) as shaking releases more anti-oxidants. Bond's choice of the shaken martini is consistent, though his portrayal as a vodka purist isn't. He at times orders gin and at others vodka.

In the books, it is a different story altogether. In Casino Royale, (1953, Chapter 7) James Bond's drink of choice was the vesper, named for the beautiful double agent in Ian Fleming's book of the same name: 

"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?"
Traditionally the martini is made from gin and vermouth, though I personally prefer the vodka version. (My actual order, if I was Bond, would be "I'll have a martini. Vodka, dirty, shaken, extra olives.") The popular way to make a martini is shaken, but it could be the most popular because of the Bond films. Written history shows martinis being shaken in recipes dating as far back as 1930. Made from either Gin or Vodka, Vermouth is the secondary ingredient, and the amount added determines how dry the martini is. Vermouth was traditionally made from a blend of juniper (derivative of gin), workwood flowers, orange peel, cloves, cinnamon,  nutmeg, coriander, mace, marjoram, brandy, white wine and tree bark, but these days, Vermouth is sweet wine infused with a blend of herbs and spices, sugar and caramel, fortified with alcohol.


The martini even has its own glass, but the V-shaped form with a long stem is not just for style, it is actually designed to keep any drink cool without ice. The wide mouth of the glass also helps the bouquet of the gin or vodka to be brought out. Various opinions exist on the origins of the martini recipe and name, everything from the town of Martinez, California to various professors and bartenders designing the drink. The Oxford English Dictionary credits Martini and Rossi with the martini. In 1871, the company, then named Martini e Sola, shipped 100 cases of red vermouth to New York. This version of events is unlikely however, as recorded accounts of martinis date back farther than 1871.


And here comes my blogger's opinion. I don't feel anything with 'mix' should be called a martini. I don't really have any foundation for this claim but my irritation with the use of the term to describe a cocktail began around the time that Sex and the City  was at its peak. The gals on that show ordered Cosmopolitans, which while served in a martini glass, aren't martinis at all, since they contain cranberry juice.That's fine, because as far as I can recall they referred to the Cosmo as a "cocktail" not a martini. But bars started calling anything they served in a martini glass, a "martini". Martini nights popped up, and they would charge $15 for what is basically a mixed drink. I find this to be completely unacceptable.  The chocolatini, I will give a pass to, because the ingredients of Vodka + Creme de Cacao are at least both alcohol, there is no soda, juice or other non-alcoholic item included. The apple-tini is ok too, if it is properly made. But it is horribly dissatisfying to order a 'green apple martini' in a bar only to taste it and realize that it clearly contains 7up. This is why I abandoned this sort of order many years ago and became something of a purist. Though, I suppose if I was a real purist, I'd be having a gin martini.


Cheers!


Read more:
History of the Martini from the Martini Muse
History of the Martini from the Cocktail Atlas
Recipes from the Martini Muse
List of Martini Recipes from The Spirit

It has been a while since I have been able to take a road trip, and as a reader of this blog you know that I love road trips! This past Thursday a friend and I made the five hour drive east to Vankleek Hill, Ontario. VKH is a village located between Montreal and Ottawa, about an hour from both cities. The village is home to Beau's Beer, and they host a yearly Oktoberfest. I have a few friends who have moved there, some to work for the brewery and others to enjoy the opportunity smaller town life presents. I was charmed by the area.

Beau's Oktoberfest is a beer and food festival that includes music, traditional events, great local food and of course Beau's beer. Restaurants come from the local area to provide German cuisine. I saw smoked trout chowder, sausages, spaetzel and schnizel among other goodies. I tried the reuben sandwich from the Cheshire Cat Pub, which is locaed in Carp Ontario, just outside of Ottawa. They told me they are known for having the best fish & chips in the Ottawa region.

Beau's brews a number of specialty beers just for the festival and I was able to go to a beer and cheese pairing event where we sampled four beers alongside four kinds of cheese. I enjoyed all of them of course but loved Riopelle cheese, which I'd never had before. It was paired with Beau's well-loved Lug Tread beer.

Riopelle is a triple cream cheese made in Quebec. I remember the name because it is named after the artist Jean-Paul Riopelle, a member of the Automatiste abstractionists.

The pairing presentation was provided by a cheese expert, a brew master and a sommelier. The sommelier is the director and editor of Good Food Revolution, a Toronto-based not for profit whose mandate is to educate about artisanal food in Ontario.

After a long day of keg-tossing, beer drinking and cheese tasting, we needed a pick-me-up and had an Americano from Bridgehead Coffee. Bridgehead is a free-trade, organic, small-scale farm produced coffee shop with twelve locations in the Ottawa area. The coffee was fantastic. I really admired the effort Beau's had made in finding appropriate businesses with similar ethics to theirs for this event. There wasn't a big corporation in the bunch and it was refreshing to experience a festival of that size without any of the familiar things that come along with big festivals like overpriced water, rude vendors selling junk food, and so on. This was all warm and fuzzy feeling; organic, affordable, happy people, funny signs, family run. I'd highly recommend it and plan to go back next year.

Today we slept in late and then headed to Mary's Fine Foods, a "decadent market". I had a roast beef sandwich, which was served on a panini with horseradish mayo, dill pickles and cheese, which was fantastic. It was paired with two side salads, I chose bean and garden. This was a definite highlight; a great food experience. The restaurant is housed in a renovated victorian home (of which there are many in VKH, it is the "Gingerbread Capital of Ontario") with white washed walls and charming ambiance. The menu was simple but the food top-notch and very fresh. I took a goat-cheese brownie to go.


We made one last stop into the brewery to pick up some beer to bring home, which is available in growlers. I picked up two as gifts and we hit the road back home again.





More:
Here's a link to a blog I found that is mostly pictures of Vankleek Hill.
More about Vankleek Hill on wikipedia.
The Revision is VKH's satirical newspaper.

Here's a video that will give you an idea of what Beau's Oktoberfest is all about.


Oktoberfest 2010 from Beaus All Natural on Vimeo.