James Bond liked his "shaken, not stirred" and some like their cocktails "dry", "extra dry", or even "extra extra dry." Regardless of how you like yours, the Martini has long symbolized elegance, class, and sophistication. Make it with gin or vodka, a splash of vermouth, a twist of lemon or pimento-stuffed olives, and serve in the classic Martini glass. Though the origin of the Mai Tai is hotly contested, nobody has been given as much credit as Trader Vic, a traveler, epicurean, and restaurateur. According to accounts, when two Tahitian friends requested a special drink at his restaurant, Trader Vic mixed rum, lime, curacao, orgeat, and sugar syrup. The friends liked it so much that they declared "Mai Tai, roe 'ae," or "out of this world." One of many vodka-based drinks savoring the sea and shore (see #9), this cocktail is a modern variation of the classic screwdriver. Typically served in a highball glass, the addition of cranberry and grapefruit juices add a fruity and refreshing quality to the vodka flavor. Though the origin of the Sea Breeze is unknown, recipes from the '30s show it once contained gin. Named for the area of Massachusetts where it began as a bar special, the Cape Codder is a grown-up cranberry spritzer. Simply made from vodka and cranberry juice and served in a tumbler with a swizzle stick and squeeze of lime, it's not too sweet or boring. The consumption of gin and tonic was originally used as a preventive measure against illness. During the British occupation of India, soldiers consumed quinine water (tonic), lime, and gin to combat malaria and scurvy. Hardly consumed for those reasons today, you can always use that as an excuse to have another one.

 This article is excerpted from FOOD.TV.com