If you want a clear cut example of how every customer will be just a bit different from the one before and after him, look no farther than the type of drink orders that you’ll receive when working in the alcohol and food service industry. The drink that a person orders can tell you much about them. It lets you in on their unique tastes and preferences and puts a little bit of their own personality on display at the same time. One of the most famous cocktails in the world is undoubtedly the Vesper martini, the drink made famous by one of the most legendary fictional characters to ever grace any type of medium – Commander James Bond.
What is a Vesper?
The origin of the Vesper can be traced back to the origin of Bond himself – the 1950s Ian Fleming novel “Casino Royale.” Though the equally famous films that propelled Bond into an unparalleled pop culture status changed up the recipe of his favourite drink in “Dr. No,” the novel version of Bond is actually very particular about what he likes to drink and how he likes to drink it. The Vesper, named after the first ever “Bond Girl,” is made from gin, vodka and Kina Lillet. It is essentially four different shots in one strong cocktail – a perfect reflection of Bond’s personality and “no nonsense” attitude.
How do you make a Vesper?
James Bond enjoyed a good Vesper martini so much that the character of so few words actually details the exact recipe of the drink in the pages of “Casino Royale.” This is a man who never spoke when he didn’t need to but still found the time to make sure that his bartender got his drink order right.
To make a Vesper, you need to mix three measures of Gordon’s gin with one measure of your vodka of choice. Instead of using vermouth, as you would do in a more traditional martini, a half of one measure of Kina Lillet fortified wine fills the same role. Once you have assembled all of the appropriate ingredients, the drink is shaken until it is as cold as possible in a standard martini shaker. Once poured into a glass, a large and thin lemon peel is then added and it is served to your thirsty customer.
To say that the Vesper martini is strong is something of an understatement. The book-version of Bond indicated that it always helped him concentrate and he never had more than one Vesper before dinner. Bond indicated that he hated small portions of anything, regardless of what you were talking about, which goes a long way towards explaining why the Vesper is as strong as it is – Bond is the kind of guy who knows how to get things done quickly and efficiently.
RSA Melbourne
This is just one example of the type of drink that you’ll learn to properly prepare when taking RSA training courses at RSA Melbourne. RSA Melbourne is Victoria’s leading hospitality training program and specializes in bartending courses, barista courses, food handling courses and more. Proper RSA training can open up a world of possibilities regarding your career and, most importantly, can teach you how to mix a stiff drink that would be worthy of Bond himself.
