Do you have "luxuries" you treat yourself to?

[RobbieB]

I'd of made one the day it arrived -

Really, do you want to spring it at a party having no idea what it tastes like?

 

[NW-Bound]

I certainly will give myself a preview. But being of a delayed-gratification kind of guy, I can wait a bit...

OK, my wait is over.


Just kidding. Maybe soon.

 

[NW-Bound]

Here's the instruction Bond gave to the bartender for making his martini in "Casino Royale" (1953), the very first James Bond novel by Ian Fleming.

"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."

The Italian-made Cocchi Americano is reputed to be the closest to the French Kina Lillet that has been discontinued.

In the novel, Bond later named it "Vesper Martini" after a double agent for whom Bond fell.

About 2 years ago, I decided to borrow all James Bond novels from the library and read them in the order of their publication.

 

[RobbieB]

I'll get a bottle too.

Sounds good, lotta gin, a little vodka and a half shot of vermouth.

I kinda like my latest mix, 6 shots gin, a shot of vermouth, and a half shot each of sake and tequila. It's kinda earthy and very smooth -

 

[NW-Bound]

The Kina Lillet or Cocchi Americano is supposedly what gives the Vesper Martini its unique flavor and a slightly bitter taste, compared to ordinary vermouth.

 

[Hermit]

Those cost more. Been buying the whole sheets and cutting them in half sometimes thirds.

Now That's Cheap!

I buy high quality (generally British) shaving cream/soap. Feel a ton better using that over the grocery store brand with my de razor.

I don't use no stinking shaving cream! Just hot water does the trick! (I guess some might think I am a bit cheap too. )

 

[kaneohe]

I just splurged on a pomegranate for $2.50.

I do this a few times a week at the local Asian market $1.49 each.
DW & I splurge wkly and sometimes more often on bubble tea....love chewing on those pearls. $3/drink.

More recently we splurge on live steamed fish at nearby Chinese restaurant.
Tonight I even forgot to ask the price/lb which I normally do. Either I'm getting good at splurging or senile. The good thing about forgetting to ask
is that it saves me thinking they put their thumb on the scales when weighing it
since I'm semi-calibrated on fish weights by visual inspection.

Several times a year we treat ourselves at The Sea......seafood version of
Alexander's Steakhouse. First time was sticker shock but you can get used to it , it seems. Can't take it w/ you when you depart so we enjoy it.

 

[jabbahop]

Frango chocolate mints. Usually get a couple boxes for xmas and they never last to New Years.

 

[NW-Bound]

I'll get a bottle too.

Sounds good, lotta gin, a little vodka and a half shot of vermouth.

I kinda like my latest mix, 6 shots gin, a shot of vermouth, and a half shot each of sake and tequila. It's kinda earthy and very smooth -

That's more than 1/3 of a bottle.

If that's for one person, the days I drank like that were long gone. I now also worry about health effects.

 

[RobbieB]

That's my standard recipe for 2 drinks (girlfriend and I) to enjoy with appetizers before the supper.

Point is that Vermouth lasts far longer than Gin.

 

[NW-Bound]

OK, I was thinking that's for 2 also, but not sure.

About using much less of vermouth, I buy it in a smallest bottle. This Cocchi Americano comes in a standard wine bottle, and I think it may go stale once opened. On the web, someone said it should keep for 1 month in the fridge.

 

[RobbieB]

I've been drinking martinis for years now with all sorts of different vermouth and not one bottle has ever gone stale unrefrigerated open for months.

But I never had the Cocchi, so don't know.

 

[EastWest Gal]

I hate ordering wine in restaurants, where they mark the price up to 3x what you can get retail. Of course, not too many allow you to bring your own bottle and just charge a corkage fee.

Liquor licenses are very limited here in PA. The restaurants with them always are much more crowded. But the restaurants here without a liquor license are almost always BYOB. They supply the glasses and there is no corkage fee.

 

[HFWR]

Vermouth lasts forever around here, since my martini recipe only requires one to glance at a bottle from across the room...

Attributed to Alfred Hitchcock

 

[NW-Bound]

Liquor licenses are very limited here in PA. The restaurants with them always are much more crowded. But the restaurants here without a liquor license are almost always BYOB. They supply the glasses and there is no corkage fee.

I would not mind that one bit.

Vermouth lasts forever around here, since my martini recipe only requires one to glance at a bottle from across the room...

Attributed to Alfred Hitchcock

You should be able to do the same by looking at the label on the Web, so why have the bottle?

Here's the Cocchi for you to try James Bond's martini.