Monday, January 29, 2007

A Vodka Martini.Very Dry . Shaken not stirred - The Vodka Saga


"A Vodka Martini . Very Dry . Shaken not stirred ."James Bond in Dr.No probably turned more people into Vodkatini (Vodka Martini)than all the bartenders in the world over.

Raw Materials with neutral spirits + filtered water + charcoal = the clean pure taste of Smirnoff Vodka.Nothing better than a good Smirnoff at night with "cashew" juice or with sugar or sweetener and rocks.

Drinking alchochol is considered to be very bad in India .People wriggle their noses and frown with their eyebrows when I say I love drinking Smirnoff (or for that matter kallu) and give me the looks that is usually reserved for serial killers in North India and TV Serial Villains in Kerala. No point in blaming them since most people drink just to get drunk and in fact abuse the drinks that they take. If drinks could efface all worries and troubles then it would have been the manna that world is looking for . How ironic?


Drinking is like any other activity if you enjoy the drinks , i e if you are able to differentiate between a shaken martini and a stirred martini and like wise . It wont change soon because unlike west most of the Indian society is still governed by the perception of any drinker being masculine and many people consider that getting more drunk in fact is a proof of being more masculine.If you don't think so then let us meet over a Vodkatini and let us discuss Smirnoff Saga.May be drink companies in India should start a campaign to drink responsibly .

Smirnoff is the number one premium Vodka in the world and the Orkut Smirnoff community has 342,175 members with most discussions being held in Portuguese showing the world wide fan following of Smirnoff.Being a {recently} certified Smirnoff Taste maker who can make few cocktails , it is never boring to experiment with different variants and flavors :) of Smirnoff with availability being the only constraint.

Any Cocktail is about the taste and lighter the spirit better the cocktail.Here are some do's and dont's of Smirnoff.Courtesy (Tulleho.com)

Geography and Brand Names: To prove a lack of bias: some of the best vodkas around are non-Russian, and some of the worst were distilled in Russia. Rule of thumb: the farther north you go, the higher the quality (this rule does not apply in a lot of instances- e.g.- India's political class).

Purity and Mixing: Rule of Thumb (for all booze): You don't waste superior stuff in mixed drinks. Quality leads to purity.

Glasses: While there are no specific prohibitions against drinking vodka out of soup bowls or espresso cups, certain rules of decor apply. The keyword, once again, is purity: a thick glass, hand-washed (no scented dish liquid, please).

Ambiance: After a few rounds you won't really care. But in general, the more intimate, the better. Unlike champagne, vodka requires no Thespian abilities. What it does require is a toast and a clinking of glasses. Make sure that all the accouterments -- beer, food, TV remotes, encyclopedias, prophylactics (you never know) and, sports reference books (you will be arguing important issues) -- are close at hand. You don't want to have to hunt for these after a few rounds. While decorum is important, decor is not. Vodka drinkers are the world's least spoiled lot.

Temperature: The colder, the better. While vodka on the rocks is a sin against nature, warm vodka is a reminder that all is not well with the world.


Toasts: Anything mildly abusive should do.

Accompanying Elements: (a.k.a. "chasers") This is different from mixers. Strict division of tastes. A chaser, be it liquid (beer) or solid (artichoke hearts) is essentially an escort.

Drinking The table is set. Click glasses with as many guests as you can without spilling. Bend the elbow.

Lastly
1.Inhale deeply and hold in your breath.
2.Throw back your head and throw in the fluid.
3.Happily munch the snacks

Pour for the next round when all drinkig mates are done.


Have you ever wondered why Mr:Bond always wants "A Vodka Martini.Very Dry . Shaken not stirred " . A shaken martini has a pleasant taste than a stirred martini and will be colder than a stirred martini since the ice has circulated a little more in the drink and a colder drink is considered to be better.

P S: Attending a Smirnoff Tastemaker session is not a bad idea , if you want to enjoy making martinis and know more about Smirnoff Saga.

OR

If you are still of the opinion that drinking is very bad and all the vodka drinkers (including James Bond) are slightly better than Serial Killers in North India and TV Serial Villains in Kerala you can go and voice your opinion here.

11 comments:

Avi said...

I swear by Vodka on the rocks and scotch with soda/water!!

As for Vodka Martini, i haven't tried it yet.

Nice blog and a well written post.

silverine said...

Not much of a Vodka fan, I am more of a white wine and rum and cola person :) But Vodka seems to have a wide fan following!

Seema said...

What a post to come back on for me...i am a big time zero on OH so no comments on this one!!!
Caught up with all yr other postss...good ones the Mundu allowance et al! The tag was crisp n well done !

Neihal said...

"give me the looks that is usually reserved for serial killers in North India and TV Serial Villains in Kerala"
LOL!

Last time I ordered a drink I got the look, multiple times :)....I like Vodka once in a while...but as Silverine said not that much of a fan.

I have been meaning to check out ur blog for a while...glad u commented on mine...so finally am here...and happy:)

Jo said...

I use to take vodka with sprite or such soft drinks. Last time I tasted Vodka was with lime on the rocks and it is really a great taste, I must admit. :-)

mathew said...

Vodka is the easier of drinks..but I prefer beer any day..because I get drunk by smelling rum!!Lol!!

N A R I YA L C H U T N E Y said...

@ Siva :Vodkatini is pretty nice :)

@Sliverine: Yupz , Vodka is more about enjoying the sharp bitter taste while rum and cola is more about the hardness :?

@ Seema: Thanks , Doesnt matter . Good girls does not drink :)

@neihal:Thanks for dropping by . Looks doesnt matter if you enjoy the drinks :).

@ jo and mathew : Lets meet over a drink . It doesnt matter whether it is a vodka or beer :)

mathew said...

thanx a lot for the offer bud..sure shall ping anytime am in blore!! :-P

GlobeTrotter said...

I agree with our comment on drinking being considered bad in India. Abroad its considered fun and cool and a way of life.

I too started as a rum-cola guy years ago. Then switched to whisky for sometime. Could not afford scotch those days.
There being prohibition in Gujarat, I had to drink whatever was available - rum, whisky, scotch - no beer though...you dont get beer easily in Gujarat....even if u want it, u have to buy atleast 6-12 of them at 100 Rs each.

A few company-sponsored trips to US and other countries, I got interested in cocktails. The margaritas and martinis in US might be the reason. There I also noted the fun associated with beer drinking and drinking in general.

But once back in Blore, I got to drink all sorts of badly-made cocktails - not to mention the high price charged for them. If a barcardi 60 ml is available for Rs 70-100 in Bangalore, a bacardi-based cocktail with some juice in it will cost Rs 200-350 depending on how upmarket the pub / bar is. This is a mystery to me...its not that they are putting some exquisite additions to it (maybe like vermoth - btw, where do we get to buy vermoth?)

Yesterday I attended a Smirnoff's Tastemaker session at Manzo bar in Lower Parel Big Bazaar, Mumbai. The cocktails, prepared under supervision from a Norway bartender, were just right. The next one is in Blore on 26 and 27 May-07. Check out tulleeho.com site.

Cheers !!!!!!!!!!!!!

scorpiogenius said...

Almost an year now and people still tag you with questions like "which is your favourite drink"!

Those who know you by now will surely know the answer, wont they Mr. Chammanthi?

Smirnoff....mmmmmm..:))

Could I borrow your taste buds for a while?

hetal said...

Smirnoff is the best vodka in the world.. Check out smirnoff.co.in for more!!

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