Stirred, not shaken
Shatbhi Basu, India’s first woman bartender

It happened over a martini. Back then, I was working as assistant manager at a restaurant called Chopsticks on Linking Road. One day my manager told me that he was putting me in charge of the bar and I was expected to make cocktails, too. I knew how to make cocktails theoretically and he reckoned I would figure out the practical bit. The first order came in almost immediately, before I could open my books and start reading. A gentleman wanted a dry martini. I knew what went into the drink and while the bar had gin, it didn’t have any dry vermouth. To substitute the flavour, I took a stirrer and dipped it in a bottle of aperitivo. I wanted to get the flavour without picking up the colour. I, then, stirred the drink with ice, gin and a little bit of white wine. The gentleman liked the drink so much that he ordered another one. My go-to drink is vodka with diet coke. I feel enjoying a cocktail at a bar is too much pressure — for me and the bartender as well.