The Martinez - Is this the very first martini?

The Birth of the Martini is a bit of a mystery but it is very likely that The Martinez was the true beginnings of this King of Cocktails.

The Martinez cocktail can be traced back to the Occidental Hotel in San Francisco in the year 1862. The story goes that the bartender at the Occidental at the time, Jerry Thomas*, made the drink for a gold miner heading out to the small town of Martinez, California.

Thomas' book, The Bon Vivant's Companion published in 1887, offers the first print version of the Martinez which consisted of 1 dash of Boker's Bitters, 2 dashes of Maraschino liqueur, 1 Pony of Old Tom gin, 1 wine glass of Vermouth, garnished with a slice of lemon and an optional dash or so of gum syrup for extra sweetness.

I personally love a Martinez, finding it more complex and interesting than a Martini.

The

MARTINEZ

(Note my personal preferences in the parentheses.)

INGREDIENTS

1-1/2 Oz. Old Tom Gin

1-1/2 Oz. Sweet Vermouth (Cinzano)

1/4 Oz. Maraschino Liqueur (Luxardo)

2 Dashes Angoustura Bitters (Orange)

Garnish: Orange Twist, Luxardo Cherry

DIRECTIONS

Stir ingredients with ice until chilled.

Strain into a chilled cocktail glass, garnish and serve.

If you prefer your cocktails a bit dryer try replacing the Cinzano sweet vermouth with Punt E Mes. If you want it definitely dryer drop the sweet vermouth to 3/4 an ounce and add 3/4 an ounce of dry vermouth like Noilly Prat.

VOICEOVER VIDEO WITH INGREDIENTS AND DIRECTIONS: 

*Jeremiah "Jerry" P. Thomas (1830 - 1885) is considered the "father of American Mixology" and is often referred to as The Professor.

Updated 1-6-2022

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History of the Gibson Martini - Exactly who did invent it?

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The birth of the Gibson is swathed in mystery as several people claim to have invented this historical martini.

The most common tale surrounds Charles Dana Gibson – the illustrator who created the famous Gibson Girls paintings - and his challenge to bartender Charley Connolly, of the Players Club of New York City, to “improve” the classic martini recipe. Connolly’s answer was simply to substitute the cocktail onion for the olive which he then named after Gibson.

Another tale revolves around a Prohibition era American diplomat – also named Gibson – who, as a teetotaller, drank a water martini with the onion to distinguish it from the alcohol laced drinks of his companions.

A third story, from Charles McCabe of the San Francisco Chronicle, attributing the creation of the Gibson to Walter D. K. Gibson. In McCabe’s 1970s interview Allan P. Gibson, great-nephew of W.D.K. Gibson, stated that his great-uncle created the Gibson at the Bohemian Club sometime in the 1890s. This would seem to be the most authenticated version as there is a mention of it by Ward Thompson, another Bohemian Club member, that was supposedly recorded in print in 1898.

No matter the provenance of this now historical onion version of a gin martini, the cocktail itself is here to stay and a very entertaining part of cocktail lore.

The

GIBSON RECIPE

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Chocolate Chip Cookie Martini - Drink your cookie!

Here is the most classic cookie cocktail of them all,

The Chocolate Chip Cookie Martini.

If you love your chocolate chip cookies here is a way you can enjoy them in a martini glass. This is a quadruple chocolate threat of a cocktail with both white and dark Creme de Cacao, chocolate infused vodka and a rim of crushed chocolate chip cookies. The cake vodka is what makes it taste like a cookie.

CHOCOLATE CHIP

COOKIE MARTINI

INGREDIENTS

1/2 Oz. White Creme de Cacao
1/2 Oz. Dark Creme de Cacao

1 Oz. Chocolate Vodka
1/2 Oz. Cake Vodka
1 Oz. Heavy Cream

Garnish: What else?

A Crushed Chocolate Chip Cookie Rim and a Mini Chocolate Chip Cookie!

DIRECTIONS
Rim glass with one of the chocolate liqueurs and some crushed chocolate chip cookies then chill glass in the freezer.
Add the ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice, shake well, strain into the chilled cocktail glass then garnish with the mini chocolate chip cookie.

VOICEOVER VIDEO WITH INSTRUCTIONS:

Chocolate Chip Cookie Day is August 4th.

Updated 8-4-2021

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The Sparkler Martini - a Watermelon Cocktail for Independence Day

  The Sparkler Martini is perfect for the 4th of July - it's blue and it tastes like watermelon! The fresh watermelon slice brings a spot of red for a fun Independence Day color theme and it's a tasty little garnish too!   Get the SPARKLER MARTINI RECIPE
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The Fourth of July Martini is an explosive experience!

The Fourth of July Martini should get the fireworks started in your mouth - it's rimmed with Pop Rocks! Yes, I said Pop Rocks. Notice I used the Grenadine as the "glue" for the pop rocks rim - that's because it's more syrupy and will hold the chunkier rimmers better. It also is less likely to set off the pop rocks like lemon juice or one of the liquors.

However, if the Pop Rocks still start to explode while you're rimming the glass like a couple of mine did you can always just toss them in just as you serve the drink. Then it's like a fireworks display in the martini instead of in your mouth!

Enjoy - it's a fun, fruity martini with a nice red color from the grenadine. If you can find them it might be fun to toss in a blue Maraschino cherry instead of a red one!

More July 4th Cocktails:

FOURTH OF JULY COCKTAILS

JULY 4TH MARTINI RECIPE CARDS

Updated 2-2017

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The Red,White & Booze Martini for the 4th of July

The Red, White White & Booze Martini is a fun pineapple and coconut martini with just a hint of blueberry from the vodka. It's a white martini with a fun drizzle of grenadine that settles to the bottom for a fun red layer and blueberries for the blue garnish.

The shredded coconut rim adds an interesting crunch to each sip but feel free to leave it off if you're not a fan of dried coconut.
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Firecracker Martini - 4th of July Martinis #2

The second 4th of July Martini this year is the FIRECRACKER MARTINI - inspired by the Firecracker Popsicle treat! We're taking you back to those lazy days of summer with a combination of raspberry, cherry and citrus flavors of that cool summer treat.
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Updated  8-2016
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