Shaken or stirred?

How best to chill out

By BARBARA WEST

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Long before James Bond ordered his martini "shaken, not stirred," drinkers have debated how a straight-up cocktail should chill over ice: by a vigorous shaking or a smooth but thorough stirring.

If you raise the issue with bartenders who have studied the art and history of the cocktail, you'll hear something like this: "Clear" drinks—those composed entirely of spirits, like a martini or a Manhattan—should be stirred. Their ingredients mix easily with a few turns of a bar spoon; shaking adds unnecessary air bubbles, "bruising" the spirits. Consider that 007 broke ranks by specifying "shaken," because martinis are traditionally stirred.

"Cloudy" drinks, on the other hand—those with fruit juice, cream, cream-based liqueurs, eggs and the like—should be shaken. Like frappés or cake batter, these cocktails need a bit of a whipping to mix properly.

Well, that was simple. The end.

Not really. The fact is that most bartenders have not studied the art and history of the cocktail. Most bartenders shake all their straight-up drinks, from Manhattans to margaritas. Why? It's practical. While stirring isn't adequate for all drinks—particularly ones with egg or cream—shaking is. That cloud of bubbles in your gin is only temporary.

Even purists have to admit that certain classic cocktail books are inconsistent about shaking vs. stirring. In The Savoy Cocktail Book, for example, there are four recipes for a Manhattan cocktail. Two say to shake, two say to stir. It's confusing.

"OK, then, a shaken martini is fine," you say. Not so fast. If you've never had a stirred cocktail, do yourself a favor and order a clear drink in a bar that knows classic mixology. Unlike the maraca-dance of ice in a shaker, stirring is subtle and so are its effects on your drink. Ever taken a dip in a cold, clear stream? It's like that.

Cin-cin!

SARATOGA COCKTAIL

1 ounce cognac

1 ounce rye whiskey

1 ounce sweet vermouth

2 dashes Angostura bitters or other aromatic bitters, such as Fee's Old Fashion Bitters

Stir with cracked ice for at least 30 seconds. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and twist a lemon peel over the top.

BARBARA WEST, AKA LAUREN CLARK, IS A MEMBER OF LUPEC BOSTON AND THE PUBLISHER OF DRINKBOSTON.COM. FOR MORE ON THE ICE DEBATE, VISIT LUPECBOSTON.BLOGSPOT.COM