A wise person once told me to never order a Vesper Martini, at risk of sounding like a pretentious tool. It was good advice.
Created by Ian Fleming in the ever-famous James Bond series, and named after the spy’s Casino Royal love interest Vesper Lynd, the unconventional martini recipe attempts to please all parties with a mix of both vodka and gin, instead of just one or the other.
But despite Bond’s notoriously good tastes, martini purists love to argue against the presence of a Vesper. “Unnecessary!” some cry; “unbalanced!” others yell. “Pretentious and for nerds!” most claim. But, despite these rebuffals, I like a Vesper Martini a lot. I think they are complex and sweet, and I think a smooth vodka cuts through a gin. And yet I would never order one because a wise person once told me I would sound like a pretentious tool.
Fortunately, though, at London’s Kitchen Table, I don’t need to worry. The Vesper takes pride of place on the cocktail menu (available in the restaurant’s chic Lounge before guests head downstairs for their multi-course meal) thanks to co-founder and sommelier, Sandia Chang.
Far from Bond’s preferred recipe, which calls for a dash of the now-discontinued Kina Lillet, Chang’s is made with foraged pineapple weed. A relative of chamomile (and very similar in flavor profile) pineapple weed is aromatic and herbaceous, and (once again, like chamomile) has long been known for its calming effects.
Infusing pineapple weed into gin imbues the spirit with a gentle fruity profile, laced with a hint of bitterness. Fortunately, pineapple weed’s close relation to chamomile makes it an easy trade if you don’t quite have the time to head out and forage for your own. The recipe below makes enough infused gin for over 20 martinis, but keep the bottle refrigerated and it will keep for several months.
And for the vodka portion of Kitchen Table’s Vesper? A champion of small-batch spirits and independent producers, Chang’s vodka of choice is Konik’s Tail. Produced in small quantities in Poland, founder Pleurat Shabani painstakingly harvests, distills and bottles every batch himself, creating a spirit that is refreshingly gentle with a touch of sweetness – a key characteristic for a martini vodka.
To make Pineapple Weed Gin:
Makes approximately 23 martinis
Ingredients:
- 700ml gin
- 50g pineapple weed (or 10g dried camomile)
Method:
Add the pineapple weed to the gin and allow to infuse for 48 hours. Strain into a new bottle and seal until required.
To make the Pineapple Vesper Martini:
Ingredients:
- 30ml pineapple weed gin
- 30ml Konik’s Tail vodka
- 10ml Cocchi Americano
Method:
Put a martini glass in the freezer to chill. Meanwhile, pour all ingredients into a mixing jug. Add ice and stir (don’t shake!) for a minute before straining into your now-chilled martini glass.
