How The Porn Star Martini Got Its Name
If there’s something the Porn Star Martini has over other martinis, it is the uproar it created. People worldwide know that a porn star acts in adult movies, so attaching a provocative name to it is a recipe for provoking different reactions. The first thing you imagine is it was created for porn stars, but after learning about how it came about, you might change your perception of it. Here is the story of how the Porn Star Martini got its name.
What’s a Porn Star Martini?
According to EVERLONG PRINT CO, Porn Star Martini is a modern drink that came to the cocktail limelight at the peak of the London cocktail revolution. It comprises passion fruit juice, lime juice, vanilla-flavored vodka, and Passoä. Though it’s not an original martini because it doesn’t have bourbon or gin, it still falls under many drinks in the martini spectrum. Londoners prefer this drink to other cocktails because it boasts more than two decades since its creation, and the 2019 version is ready to drink. It is one of the most ordered cocktails in the UK, gluing its place on the cocktail lists in the country. Apart from its sophisticated look, Porn Star Martini is sweet, thanks to the fruity taste notes. While you can order it straight up, bartenders often play around with it to appeal to martini lovers. You can add a shot of Prosecco, then mix in a cocktail bottle or shaker. Other mixologists prefer using a strainer for a smooth and fruity flavor.
How did the Porn Star Martini get its name?
Porn Star Martini got its name by accident. Do you remember in 2003 when Arnold Schwarzenegger became governor of California? Its inventor, Douglas Ankrah, was busy inventing Porn Star martini at his Lab Bar. He had no idea that creating a cocktail comprising passion fruit, vodka, and Proseco would increase his bar’s popularity in the UK. So, he began playing around with the ingredients and called Maverick Martini after Maverick’s Gentleman Club in Cape Town, South Africa. Ankrah, who died in 2021, admitted that his experience in a Cape Town bar frequently haunted him. He had mixed various cocktails, but none of them created a statement. At this point, he knew that if he didn’t come up with something that would invoke mixed reactions, his years of experience in mixology would be a waste of time and resources. An idea struck the London-based mixologist. How about creating something bold, provocative, and playful? He argued that a bar should attract these three elements because it’s the place people expect to see and taste something unique.
Martinis are supposed to be sexy, which is why Ankrah changed its name to Porn Star Martini after returning to London. To Ankrah, adding a porn star’s name to the martini is one way of envisioning what a porn star would drink. According to Condé Nast Traveller, he wanted to use the controversial name to capture people’s attention, and that’s precisely what he got. The unique trait of this drink is its pastry taste. Ankrah’s original Porn Star Martini is a mixture of vanilla, passion fruit juice, and vodka. He also played around with champagne to achieve the pastry taste notes. The London-based mixologist had traveled to bars worldwide, but Cape Town’s bar was why he invented this drink. During the Porn Star Martini’s launch in 2002, Ankrah confessed that there was nothing sexual about this drink. He used a tactic to invoke a reaction, making an overnight sensation. Unsurprisingly, his bars, LAB and Townhouse in Knightsbridge, have become the hotspot for London cocktail lovers. According to BarChick, Ankrah’s Townhouse bar in Knightsbridge no longer exists, but that didn’t affect the cocktail’s popularity. It was a blessing in disguise as it attracted more than 18,000 online searches. That means people are interested in understanding why Ankrah gave it that name and how to prepare it.
What’s in a Porn Star Martini?
While bartenders and mixologists have experimented with rum and gin to create this cocktail, Ankrah’s version remains the most popular. Here are the ingredients he used:
- 25ml passion fruit juice
- 50ml vanilla vodka
- 50ml champagne
- Passion fruit slice garnish
- 2 spoons of vanilla sugar
- 12.5 passion fruit liqueur
Method of preparation
Add the vanilla sugar, vodka, passion fruit liqueur, and passion fruit puree into a cocktail glass and shake for ten to twenty seconds. Pour the mixture into a martini glass and garnish it with a slice of passion fruit. Finish off with a unique presentation by serving champagne separately in a shot glass. Enjoy!
Why Porn Star Martini is popular
Aside from its provocative name, this martini brand is rich in various nutrients to keep your body healthy, despite indulging in alcohol. Ankrah, himself, never knew its reign would last. Surprisingly, he came up with a canned version and changed its name to Passion Star Martini in 2019. It’s become one of the most popular drinks in the UK, and other brands are joining the bandwagon. The mixologist also made cocktail lovers’ work easier by bottling his brand. Now you can enjoy his original recipe without worrying about if you mixed the ingredients right. You buy and enjoy the sweet notes. Of course, you can’t mention Porn Star Martini without raising eyebrows. Some people weren’t just comfortable with the name. To please the conservative consumers who found it offensive, Ankrah rebranded it to Passionfruit Martini. Email servers haven’t also been accustomed to the name, spamming it. No wonder he released a new format for the drink in a pre-bottled version and named it P*Star. Currently, the new version is a bright orange bottle. All you need to do is put it in your fridge so it gets chilled before serving it in a long-stemmed cocktail glass. Plus, there are many ways of drinking it.
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