Quickfire Guide – how to make a Porn Star Martini

For hints and tips on pimping your Porn Star Martini try this article.

Ingredients (for two)

I rarely make one porn star martini on its own, but if you are, just half the following proportions.

Note that this recipe is based on the Difford’s Guide adaptation, which I choose because in my opinion, it’s just so much better with the addition of lime.

You will need:

• 2 v-shaped martini glasses
• 2 shot glasses
• A cocktail shaker, large jar or jug
• Ice
• 4 passion fruits
• 30ml / 1oz lime juice
• 30ml / 1oz vanilla syrup
• 30ml / 1oz passion fruit liqueur
• 100-120ml / 3.5 – 4oz vanilla vodka
• Sparkling wine (optional but recommended)
• Vanilla sugar (optional)

How to Pour Two Porn Star Martinis

• Ideally, keep the glasses and vodka in the freezer for at least six hours and the other liquid ingredients in the fridge. Otherwise, just make sure you shake/stir very well with the ice.
• When it’s time to pour, cut the passion fruits in half and save the two most attractive looking halves for the garnish.
• Scrape the seeds and pulp from the other halves into your shaker/jar/jug.
• Add a handful of ice, then all of the liquid ingredients apart from the sparkling wine.
• Shake or stir to chill, then strain into the v-shaped glasses.
• Serve with a shot of sparkling wine and a passionfruit half to garnish.
• You can also sprinkle vanilla sugar over the passion fruit garnish if you like.

If you want to find out more hints and tips, as well as the origins and context of this surprisingly excellent cocktail, please read on.

Wondering what food to serve? Read the post: Sexy Dishes to Pair with your Porn Star Martini.

An Overview – what is a Porn Star Martini?

This is one of the most ostentatious versions of a martini and was invented in London before spreading around the world.

In more polite circles, or the world of corporate branding, it is also sometimes referred to as a ‘passion fruit martini’ which is far less attention-grabbing but more suitable for sensitive audiences.

Of course, passion fruit and passion fruit liqueur constitute some of the key ingredients. Access to fresh passion fruit is therefore of paramount importance.

This cocktail is slightly more complicated to prepare than a classic martini and I was sceptical for years about the concept but in all honesty, it’s delicious and a real treat, especially if you are looking to surprise and delight friends, guests, or perhaps a lucky date.

The Origins of the Porn Star Martini

The Classic Martini is an American drink, the Vesper was manifested in Jamaica, the Paisley is an ode to Scotland, and the Porn Star Martini, whilst also first created in London, has decidedly African origins.

If ever you are looking for something to toast when drinking this delectable drink, you can always raise your glass to the now sadly departed visionary Douglas Ankrah. The Ghana-born cocktail maestro created the London Academy of Bartending (LAB) in 1996 before co-founding the LAB Bar in Soho in 1999 and then the Townhouse cocktail bar in Knightsbridge in 2002.

It was in the latter venue with its extensive menu where he came up with the legendary Porn Star Martini. His creation was reputably inspired by a visit to the Mavericks strip club in Cape Town. Indeed it was initially called a Maverick Martini in homage to the venue, but he changed the name later because he felt the cocktail was something a porn star would order.

According to his book Shaken & Stirred all the clientele at the Townhouse were ordering the iconic drink by the end of the night the first time he started serving them up. Much like the Espresso Martini, it was an instant hit and by sheer force has become a ubiquitous modern classic. It is far from a more traditional martini but it would be a disservice to martini culture and history not to discuss it here.

Promiscuity vs Provocation

When asked if he chose the name to be provocative or lewd, Ankrah countered that a good bar was somewhere you could feel “bold, sexy and playful” so it was never to idolise pornography, but it certainly grabbed attention at the time and continues to titillate today, much like the Dirty, Filthy and Hot ‘n’ Dirty Martinis do.

I would also like to add that Ankrah very much retained a strong sense of respect for the classics too, despite his innovative, playful and highly creative experimentation. He believed that the “classics should not be altered, they should remain classics” as shared in his 2017 interview with The Buyer magazine.

And I personally believe that after at least two decades, the Porn Star Martini has itself become its own brand of classic icon, and it will be with us for a long time indeed.

How to prepare a Porn Star Martini – the more in-depth guide

If you want something done properly then do it yourself

Douglas Ankrah, creator of the Porn Star Martini

It takes more effort than a classic martini. There are more ingredients and different steps. But the finished product is more of a spectacle than the classic. I almost always prefer the simplicity of the original, but every now and then it’s fun to push the boat out a little for something fruity, smooth, sweet and tart, with the added bonus of chilled bubbles on the side.

For an added sensory bonus I recommend keeping the vodka and the glasses in the freezer for a couple of hours before serving.

I keep the limes, syrup, liqueur and sparkling wine in the fridge as well, but not passion fruit. I like them to come to room temperature for at least an hour if they have been chilled.

You will need

• Vanilla vodka (I use Absolut)
• Passion fruit liqueur (I use Passoã)
• Vanilla syrup (I use Monin but you can also make your own)
• Sparkling wine
• Fresh passion fruits – 2 per martini you intend to serve

• Fresh limes (I would have at least 2 for each martini you want to serve as a guide, maybe one or two more to be safe)
• Vanilla sugar (optional but tasty – and you can easily make your own!)
• A cocktail shaker, or large jar or a jug to mix the drink with – whatever you have
• Ice cubes
• V-shaped martini glasses
• Shot glasses

How to prepare

Cut two passion fruits in half for each martini you want to pour. I like to pick the most attractive looking halves to use as a garnish.

Scoop the contents out of the other halves and add to a cocktail shaker / jar / jug along with a generous handful of ice.

Top up with 15ml / 1oz each of passion fruit liqueur, vanilla-flavoured syrup and freshly squeezed lime juice.

Top this up with 50-60ml /3.5-4oz chilled vanilla vodka and shake vigorously to mix.

Strain the contents into a martini glass, garnish with half of the remaining passion fruit floating cut-side up in the drink, or alternatively on the side.

I also recommend serving a spoon to help eat the garnish.

You can also dust the passionfruit halves with a teaspoon of vanilla sugar each.

Serve with a chilled, tall shot glass of champagne as a chaser and sip from each glass in turn.

It’s much more of an interactive drink than a classic martini and obviously much sweeter. I think it works very well for a party but note that you will need to get yourself plenty of passion fruits for such an occasion!

With Thanks

As I said above, these ingredients and portions are an adaptation of the original recipe and are based on the most excellent Difford’s Guide version. I particularly recommend this over the original because of the addition of fresh lime which enhances the tartness of the drink.

And if you are in any way interested in cocktails, Simon Difford and his comprehensive website is the definitive source of truth. There isn’t a single person in the industry I wouldn’t trust more on the infinite complexities of drink, cocktails, ingredients, culture and history.

Substitutions

In some parts of the world you may struggle to obtain fresh passion fruits. There are potential alternative solutions to this. You can use passion fruit puree, or even try bottles or cartons of passion fruit smoothie from a supermarket. It might not be ideal and you probably won’t get the satisfying crunch of the passion fruit seeds but it does help deliver that zesty flavour that really goes well with the vanilla vodka.

Pairings

And remember, if you’re wondering what food to serve with your Porn Star Martini, here are some suitably sexy options.

Enjoy!