You cannot get a more classy drink than a martini. Simply ordering one makes you feel a James Bond cool, calm, and collective swagger that just cannot be matched. While Bond may have made it popular on the big screen and ordered his “shaken not stirred,” it was popular long before he made his debut.
In fact, Ernest Hemingway proclaimed, “I’ve never tasted anything so cool and clean… They make me feel civilized,” in his famous A Farewell to Arms. This gin-based cocktail has an iron clad place in American history, how it got there though remains a bit of a mystery.
There are tales of it originating in Martinez, California during the 1800’s Gold Rush. After one miner had struck it big, the special drink was concocted in celebration of his find. However, other cities and places argue claim to fame for inventing this iconic American cocktail including San Francisco and New York.
Another tale attributes the drink’s fame to an Italian vermouth, branded as Martini. In reality, this is the most plausible tale as many people would order a drink by its brand name asking for a Martini cocktail.
For years after its invention, it was the go-to drink at business luncheons, when daytime drinking was more acceptable, even encouraged. Nowadays, it’s consumed mostly after work hours in the early evening, usually before dinner or at happy hour.
The standard drink consists of a mixture of gin and vermouth, typically 1:1. A dirty martini has a splash of olive brine and is garnished with a green olive. A dry martini, on the other hand, contains less vermouth.
In any case, contrary to Bond’s great request, unless asked, you’ll most often find it stirred not shaken. You are also likely to run across plenty of elaborate imposters ending with the word “tini” but don’t be fooled. They’ve got nothing on the simplicity and elegance of enjoying the classic martini.