Shaken or stirred? Who cares—it’s ‘Tini Time. Photo courtesy of European Sources Direct.

First, that bit about James Bond liking his martinis “shaken, not stirred,” a variation actually called a Bradford (as you can tell, the concept didn’t originate with 007). The traditional way to create a martini is to mix all of the ingredients in a mixing glass, not shake them in a cocktail shaker, so as not to “bruise the gin.” What, you say? Yes, the shaking action breaks up the ice and adds more water, slightly weakening the drink and altering the taste. Evidently, British gin martini drinkers take their mixology seriously: No less than W. Somerset Maugham declared that, “Martinis should always be stirred, not shaken, so that the molecules lie sensuously one on top of the other.”

So what does this mean for 007, bruising (or weakening) his martini? We’ll have to defer to experts to comment on that.

• Read the history of the martini and traditional martini recipes, including the Gin Martini, the Dirty Martini, the 50-50, the Gibson, the Perfect Martini and the Vodka Martini.
• Throw tradition to the winds with fun martini recipes: Chai Martini, Greentini (green tea), Lemon Meringue Pie Martini, Pomegranate Martini, Watermelon Martini and numerous other ‘tinis.

O.K., get moving. It’s ‘Tini TIme.