Let me fix you a Martini that is pure magic. It may not make life's problems disappear but it'll certainly reduce their size...." Frank Sinatra's famous lines (Some Came Running) immortalised the drink in celluloid history. Shaken or stirred, Montgomery or Winston, pink or clear, dry or sweet…you're a party pooper without one. Sit back, cross your stiletto-clad legs and take elated sips of the only drink with a split personality.

Often named after mistresses of espionage agents, loyally partaken by the writer of The Old Man And The Sea, it can be sweet, it could be sour…maybe even spicy. Each sip tells a story, each sip whispers secrets…. Of the creator, of memories, of all that can and could be!

Diehard loyalists insist that the only thing better than a Martini - the drink with the many faces - is two! It was a drink of the past, is a drink of the present and will flow its way down our ever willing throats into the future. Yes, it has evolved with time. The olive? That's outdated. Try a chilli instead! Why clear? Think pink! Douse it in chocolate, seduce it with pink shrimps.

Take it from Martini-lovers. Each sip is pure magic; so let yourself be captivated. Drink it smooth, drink it hard, drink it slow and steady - but we insist you drink it…and let it glide down in a waterfall of ecstasy.

Cocoa 'n' almonds duet
Naughty and nice

BHARRAT JOYENT
Ingredients: Belvedere vodka, 60 mls; Blue Curaco, 5 mls; Gorgonzola olive, 4 nos.
Method: Shake the vodka and Blue Curaco with 4 cubes of ice, till frosting and strain.
Pour into a Martini glass.
For the garnishing on the tray, use 4 Gorgonzola olives on a satay stick.

Mango-chilli tango
Sugar and spice

KARAMELSUTRA
Ingredients: Belvedere vodka, 60 mls; Crème de Cacao, 15 mls; Amaretto, 15 mls; Chocolate strawberry hearts, 3 pcs; Honey glazed almonds, 8 pcs.
Method: Shake the vodka, Crème de Cacao, Amaretto with 4 cubes of ice till frosting and strain.
Pour into a Martini glass.
For the garnishing on the tray, use 3 strawberry hearts and scattered honey glazed almonds.

BELVEDERE CHILLI AND MANGO
Ingredients: Green chilli vodka, 60 mls; Apple juice, 10 mls; Lime wedge, 1 no; Fresh mango juice, 60 mls.
Method: Place the green chilli vodka, apple juice, a squeeze of lime and fresh mango juice in a cocktail shaker. Shake with 4 cubes of ice till frosting and strain.
Pour into a Martini glass.
Garnish the glass with a slit green chilli.
Note: For the green chilli vodka, steep 3 green chillies in 750 mls vodka for 24 hours. Ensure that the chillies are not bruised or cracked or else the vodka will turn very pungent.

SHRIMP MARTINI
Ingredients: Galangal vodka, 60 mls; Lime juice, 5 mls; Sugar syrup, 5 mls; Vermouth marinated shrimp (medium size), 2 pcs; Pickled ginger, 10 gms; Red chilli olive, 1 no; Jalapeno olive, 1 no; Cornichon olive, 1 no; Almond olive, 1 no; Garlic olive, 1 no.
Method: Shake the Galangal vodka, lime juice and sugar syrup with 4 cubes of ice till frosting and strain.
Pour into a Martini glass.
For the garnishing on the tray, place the 2 Vermouth marinated shrimps on a satay stick and 1 each of 5 different stuffed olives interspersed with pickled ginger on another satay stick which should be placed behind the shrimp stick.
Note: In case of non-availability of any one of the stuffed olives mentioned above, it may be substituted by an olive of another flavour. However, the olive must necessarily be a queen olive.
For the Galangal vodka, steep 50 gms of cleaned and peeled galangal in 750 mls vodka for 24 hours.