Martini Cocktail

The Martini may be the most debated cocktail in history. Its origins likely trace to the 1860s Martinez cocktail served at San Francisco’s Occidental Hotel, evolving through Harry Johnson’s 1888 recipe of Old Tom gin and sweet vermouth into the dry, austere icon we know today. William Boothby published possibly the first ‘Dry Martini’ recipe in 1907, and by mid-century the drink had become a cultural symbol — stirred, never shaken (despite what 007 says). The classic calls for London dry gin and dry vermouth at a 2:1 ratio, stirred with ice and strained into a chilled cocktail glass, garnished with an olive or lemon twist. Simplicity and perfection in a glass.