SOME OF THE most sophisticated cocktails in town are getting a flirty French twist. Lillet Blanc, an aperitif that was created in France in the late 19th century, is no longer content to sit on its own on the rocks, a lone orange twist marinating in its glass. This blend of Bordeaux wines and fruit liqueurs - originally known as Kina Lillet because it contained the popular medicinal element quinine - lingered in Europe until the 1940s, when post-war Americans turned to our French friends-in-arms for some tips on refreshment. In the 1960s, bartenders began to incorporate Lillet into cocktails, often in place of vermouth. Of course, Lillet Blanc was catapulted onto the taste-bud radars of James Bond fans in Ian Fleming's 1953 novel Casino Royale, wherein history's sexiest spy orders up his famous "shaken, not stirred" martini. "Just a moment," Fleming's famous character barks. "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. Got it?" We got it, hot stuff.
With such a rich history, it's no surprise that Lillet Blanc is popping up once again on thoughtful cocktail menus. Its warm flavors of orange and pine make Lillet Blanc the perfect accompaniment to gin. That famous Bond martini is given homage at the Oak Bar (Fairmont Copley Plaza, 138 St. James Avenue, Boston, 617.267.5300), where even the most dashing of secret agents himself would appreciate the elegant atmosphere. You don't have to don a tuxedo to enjoy the 007 ($15) - Bombay Sapphire, Grey Goose vodka, and a splash of Lillet - but you'll certainly feel like a smooth sophisticate as you enjoy one these nouveau classics, a cool, floral cocktail named for the coolest leading man in movie history. Of course, for $9 you could also enjoy Lillet Blanc on the rocks, sipped slowly before you dive into a sumptuous meal at the adjacent Oak Room.
The James Bond martini did acquire a name somewhere along the way: Vesper, for Bond's Casino Royale love interest du jour Vesper Lynde. Check out a version of this sexy cocktail ($8) at the Independent (75 Union Square, Somerville, 617.440.6022), where it's simplified into a more approachable libation, with Beefeater gin and Stoli vodka hosting the Lillet, a neighborhood iteration from a neighborhood bar. Sorry, Bond: none of your fancy gadgets and clipped accents here. The Indo also offers a killer rendition of another notorious Lillet Blanc cocktail, the Corpse Reviver ($9). Lillet meets Hendricks gin, Cointreau, fresh lemon, and Pernod in this potent classic. Maybe one to try at the end of the night, as you muster your drunken energy to grab a cab.
But enough of the manly martinis, right, girls? Not to worry: you've got your own cocktail, tailor-made for the women of Boston. The Lady's Martini ($13) at Mooo (15 Beacon Street, Boston, 617.670.2515) is a flowery, airy drink for those looking for ways to whet a delicate appetite before tearing into a giant hunk of expertly seared steak. Lillet Blanc, fresh lemon, hibiscus syrup, and a Champagne chaser make this martini the perfect fit for the feminine palate.
France's very own first lady of song deserves, at the very least, a cocktail in her honor, especially given that she herself was so famously fond of them. The Edith Piaf ($11.50) at Gaslight (560 Harrison Avenue, Boston, 617.422.0224) gives Lillet Blanc the chance to mingle with Grey Goose and a burnt-orange twist, just as Piaf herself likely did before bursting into sultry, impassioned song. This drink is as smooth and strong as Piaf's signature tune, "La Vie en Rose," and is just about as French as it gets on this side of the Atlantic.
Enjoyed on its own or in one of the aforementioned martini tributes to all things sexy, Lillet Blanc is worth a bit of a hunt - which you may have to conduct, since it's still catching on. If red's more your thing, you could also try Lillet Rouge (Blanc's rosier sister, tasting of rich, late-summer fruits such as berries and cherries), though that's even harder to find. Still, not all is lost. Most premier wine and liquor stores carry at least one of the two. Ball Square Fine Wines (716 Broadway, Somerville, 617.623.9500), for example, has a keen appreciation for both Lillets. Keep up with their inventory at www.ballsquarefinewines.com and pick up a bottle aujourd'hui, chéri. @
[Photo by Ion Sokhos]
