Martinis 101 and Grand Fizz recipe

Vodka Martini, popularized by James Bond in the 50s and 60s, gained a new lease of life with the arrival of flavored vodkas a few decades later.

But not everyone can make a Martini, because there are some basic rules that must be followed to the letter!

How to make Martinis a success

It was at Boulangerie Bleue, a pop-up event organized by Grey Goose and held in some twenty cities including New York, Moscow, Paris and Montreal, that I had the opportunity to meet Dale DeGroff and Julien Lafond to talk Martinis and vodka.

For those unfamiliar, Dale DeGroff, also known as King Cocktail, was one of the pioneers to revisit classic cocktails in the ’80s, and is credited with reinventing the bartending profession.

Julien Lafond is the ambassador for Grey Goose vodka.

The ABCs of Martini

Here are the basic rules for successful Martinis, from our two experts.

1. Rule number 1: respect the ceremonial that surrounds the making of the Martini. People have a clear idea of the Martini they want to drink and what goes into making it. The most important thing, then, is to make the cocktail in front of the person and just as he or she ordered it. As James Bond used to say, “Shaken, not stirred”.
2. Everything in the Martini must be very cold: the glass, the olive, the vermouth, the decorations…everything! Martinis are best drunk chilled, and if any of the ingredients are hot, the cocktail will heat up too quickly.
3. Glasses that are too large should be avoided. The ideal glass should contain no more than 6 ounces. A perfect cocktail should contain 11 or 12 very cold sips.

Grand Fizz recipe

Throughout the Boulangerie Bleue event, we were lucky enough to be served Grand Fizz. Here’s the recipe, so we could put Julien and Dale’s lessons into practice.

Grand Fizz Grey Goose is a blend of Grey Goose vodka, St-Germain elderflower liqueur, fresh lime juice and mineral water, served over ice.

It’s honestly one of my favorite cocktails, perfect for any occasion.