Before there were martinis and martini recipes, there was still lots and lots of cocktails and one of the most popular cocktail recipes was the Martinez : two ounces of sweet vermouth, one ounce gin, two dashes of maraschino cherry liquid, and one dash of bitters, shaken with ice in a cocktail shaker , strained, and served with a twist of lemon. (Yum!)

But the Martinez was soon simplified into the Martini. As martini recipes evolved into Apple Martini Recipes, Dry Martini Recipes, Cosmopolitan (Cosmo) Martini Recipes, Dirty Martini Recipes, and other tasty libations, the phrase "shaken never stirred" became ubiquitous, as much a part of the martini recipe as the martini glass.

Many people think of "shaken never stirred" as the invention of Ian Fleming (author of the James Bond books) and a "quirk" of his title character, but it's really true: you don't want to "bruise" the gin before it hits your cocktail glass. The shaking action breaks up the ice, turning it into water which will "seep" into the drink mixture. This will weaken the drink, but soften (or "round out") the taste.

Shaking can also produce tiny air bubbles which, in turn, make a drink look cloudy and murky, instead of clear. And finally, shaking a drink will distribute the vermouth more evenly than stirring, giving the final product a better flavor and "texture" overall.

Now although Fleming didn't invent "shaken never stirred," he DID create the super-sleuth's "specific" formulation for the perfect martini, made with only the very best ingredients, of course!

The James Bond Martini - Shaken Never Stirred

• 3 oz Gordon's Gin
• 1 oz Vodka
• 1/2 oz Lillet Blanc

Pour all of the ingredients into a cocktail shaker that has been half-filled with cracked ice. Shake well. Strain into a cocktail glass, garnish with a twist of lemon. Serve and enjoy.

Clearly Mr. Bond was NOT a fan of the Very Dry Martini.

Very Dry Martini Recipes have been known to jokingly suggest that you "wave the cap of the vermouth bottle over the glass," or "swill a drop of vermouth in the glass, then toss it out before filling the glass with gin." Some people swear by atomizers similar to those use for perfume to dispense a token amount of vermouth into the cocktail glass.

In truth, people who order this particular martini variation are really just drinking a cold glass of gin…although the shaking with ice may contribute a small amount of H20 to the final cocktail.

But we're easy -- to each his own. If you want to "86" the vermouth and double up on the gin -- go ahead. Drink up and enjoy your Very Dry Martini!