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Ketel One puts a kick into summer's cocktails

Published:Thursday | May 30, 2013 | 12:00 AM
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Dennis Tamase, distillery ambassador for Nolet Distillery,makers of Ketel One Vodka, demonstrates one of several stylish ways to pour a cocktail for journalists from Latin America and the Caribbean in Amsterdam last week.
Tamase carefully slices hot pepper for the martini. -Barbara Ellington/Photographer
Dennis Tamase never travels without his specially made tools. These include this copper martini shaker, his knives, strainers and more.
Tomatini
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Barbara Ellington, Public Affairs Editor

It IS getting close to summer when there will be parties aplenty and some kicking cocktails will be right in the mix. If you are tired of the same old ... same old, why not try a few Ketel One Vodka cocktails from the Ketel One Distillery in Schiedam, Amsterdam?

On a recent trip to the Nolet Distillery - home of one of the best vodkas in the world, Food got to see and taste the work of Dennis Tamase, distillery ambassador.

Described as the bartender's friend, Ketel One leaves a pleasant, silky softness on the palate. And for the ultimate martini cocktail, its refined, subtle, crisp and sophisticated blend is the perfect thing for your favourite drink. To make the ultimate Ketel One martini, try the following recipes:

Ingredients

5ml vermouth

Ice-filled shaker

50ml Ketel One Vodka

Method

Add dry vermouth to an ice-filled cocktail shaker, stir and pour off the vermouth into another shaker. To the vermouth, add the Ketel One vodka, stir again and pour into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Vesper Martini

The Vesper Martini is said to be a favourite of James Bond and this is how it is made:

Ingredients

3 parts Nolet Gin

1 part Ketel One Vodka

Method

Add zest of lime around the rim of glass (Dennis Tamase squeezes it in the air around the glass and rubs some along the rim, putting just a little inside the glass.)

Add ingredients in a shaker (Tamase uses a special copper shaker) with ice shaken (not stirred) and then poured.

Spicy at 50s

Ingredients

Jalapeño pepper to garnish

50ml Ketel One Vodka

20ml lemon juice

2 parts vanilla to spice things up

Ice

Method

Pour all ingredients into a copper shaker, shake and pour in glass. Garnish with pepper.

Tomatini

This is a twist on the famous Bloody Mary.

Ingredients

One ripe tomato

50ml Ketel One Vodka

10ml white balsamic vinegar

1 bar spoon of sugary syrup

Ice

Method

Beat the ripe tomato until it has a paste consistency.

Add Ketel One Vodka

Shake ingredients in shaker (copper) till it is frosty outside.

Strain, add a dash of black pepper and serve.

Barbara Ellington's trip was sponsored by Diageo. Read The Gleaner in the coming days for more stories from this exciting trip.