One of the world’s best-known cocktails, the martini is usually made with gin and vermouth garnished with an olive or a lemon twist. Some prefer vodka instead of gin. Origins of the drink are cloudy. The exact origin of the martini is unclear. It could be named after the Martini brand of vermouth, or it could be derived from a cocktail called Martinez served at the Occidental Hotel in San Francisco in the 1860s.

Martini Cocktail

Place 2 pieces of ice in bar tumbler, add gin, vermouth, and bitters. Stir well and strain into stem cocktail glass. Place olive in glass with wood toothpick stuck in it.

2 ounces gin
1 ounce Italian vermouth
1 dash Angostura bitters