Martini

I had to include at least one cocktail with a California claim, and the martini is the big one, even if it comes with an asterisk the size of a billboard.

The origin is genuinely disputed, and I think that is part of its charm. The claim I love is that it was born in Martinez, California, during the Gold Rush era of the mid-1800s, supposedly poured for a miner, and that Martinez softened over time into martini. The town certainly believes it, there is a plaque and everything. Others credit a New York hotel bartender, or point to the sweeter Martinez cocktail printed in an 1887 bartending guide. Nobody can prove it, which is why the fight has outlasted everyone involved. For a project about California stories, a drink that may have been named after a California town is too good to leave out.

The modern martini is austere and beautiful. For the classic dry martini, stir two and a half ounces of gin (or vodka) with half an ounce of dry vermouth over ice until very cold, then strain into a chilled glass and finish with a lemon twist or olives. As a historical nod, the older Martinez leaned sweet, with gin, sweet vermouth, a touch of maraschino and bitters, a reminder of how much the drink has changed. Please enjoy responsibly.