Did you know that today, June 19th is recognized as National Martini Day? Originally the cocktail was called The Martinez, after the town of Martinez, California. Invented around the mid- 1800’s during the California Gold Rush. One legend goes, a miner had struck it rich and wanted to celebrate with champagne. The bar did not have a bottle on hand, instead, the bartender suggested creating a new cocktail with gin, vermouth, maraschino liqueur, bitters, and a slice of lemon. The new cocktail became so popular that it was eventually included in Jerry Thomas’s 1887 edition of the Bartender’s Manual under The Martinez moniker. The Martinez was altered over the years and became the martini we all know today, made with gin and vermouth with an olive or lemon twist for garnish. Whether you love your martini dry, dirty, shaken or stirred, enjoy sipping on this iconic cocktail and celebrating National Martini Day. Take a stroll into the past by crafting a classic Martinez cocktail by following the recipe below.

The Martinez

A delightful pick me up from the Gold Rush era.

Ingredients

• 1 dash bitters
• 2 dashes Maraschino Liqueur
• 1 oz. Old Tom gin
• 2 oz. sweet vermouth
• 2 small lumps ice

Directions

Pour the bitters, Maraschino liqueur, gin, vermouth and ice into a cocktail shaker. Place the top on and shake thoroughly. Strain into a large cocktail glass. Garnish with a quarter slice of lemon and serve.