America’s Finest: Martini Cocktail

‘The only American invention as perfect as the sonnet.’ -H.L. Mencken

What better drink to choose for this weekend than a dry Martini cocktail? Or maybe you prefer a Martini on the rocks, with a twist or ‘shaken, not stirred.’ Either way, there is no doubt that we are going to get drunk this weekend. In a classy way, of course!

Where does the Martini cocktail come from?

Establishing the exact origin of this drink is complicated especially after trying it over and over again. You know how it is; minds get fuzzy, things are forgotten, everyone’s a hero.

There are three official versions to the invention of the Martini cocktail:

1. The Martini cocktail can be traced back to a miner from Martinez, California who found gold during the Gold Rush fever. Like many of us do when we discover gold in the mines we walk our dogs in, the man asked for a special drink (champagne apparently) to toast his success. The poor bartender was out of champagne that day and threw in what he had on hand : vermouth, gin, maraschino liqueur and a slice of lemon.  The cocktail took its name from the town (Martinez) and it was published in the Bartender’s Manual in the 1880s.

2. The second version leads us to the author Barnaby Conrad III who claims that this cocktail was created in San Francisco at the beginning of the 20^th century. Doesn’t sound as interesting as the lucky miner but it could be a plausible story.

3. And last but not least, we have the Martini & Rossi vermouth which might get us closer to the truth. The Martini brand appeared in 1863 so there are huge chances that its name comes from here. Back then people used to ask for a drink according to the ingredients it contained (Martini, Sherry, etc.) so this  story seems closer to the truth.

Martini cocktail recipe

Bring together 2 ounces of dry gin, 1 ounce dry vermouth, ice, olives or lemon for garnish.

Start by placing a cocktail glass in the freezer. It needs to be chilled before starting the procedure. Then combine the gin and vermouth in a shaker, filling it with ice (halfway) and stir it for about 20 seconds. Strain the result into the glass and garnish it with lemon or olives.

See how easy it is to create happiness in a Martini cocktail glass?

 Don’t forget to check our Manhattan recipe for a really fantastic weekend!