The martini is a cocktail made with gin and vermouth and garnished with an olive. Over the years, the martini has become one of the most well-known mixed alcoholic beverages. H. L. Mencken once called the martini “the only American invention as perfect as the sonnet”,^[1] and E. B. White called it “the elixir of quietude”.^[2] It is also the drink of the one-time “three-martini lunch” of business executives.

The martini is one of six basic drinks listed in David A. Embury’s classic, The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks, along with many other favorite cocktails.

Ingredients:

• 5.5 cl (1.86 fluid onces) gin
• 1.5 cl (0.51 fluid onces) dry vermouth
• Olives

Preparation:

Pour all ingredients into mixing glass with ice cubes. Stir well. Strain in chilled martini cocktail glass. Squeeze oil from lemon peel onto the drink, or garnish with olive.