The iconic status of olive in the Martini cocktail
, by Apostolos Magkoulias, 1 min reading time
, by Apostolos Magkoulias, 1 min reading time
The iconic status of olive in the Martini cocktail
The reason for the iconic garnish of green olive signing the famous Martini cocktail by giving it the elegance and luxury that bears its name.
For over a century, the most famous cocktail in the world is always accompanied by one or more green stuffed olives on toothpick. It was the favorite drink of famous men around the world such as Frank Sinatra, John D. Rockefeller, Humphrey Bogart, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Ernest Hemingway, and of course featured in all the James Bond movies. An authentic martini contains four components: gin or, depending on preferences, vodka, vermouth, ice and of course green olive garnish.
Despite the frequent connection to the city of New York, the first mention of a cocktail “Martinez” was discovered in a bartending guide in San Francisco in 1887. The legend says that a miner during the “gold rush” in California entered a bar in the town of Martinez after a successful gold strike and the bartender has created something unique to celebrate with what was available, including a green olive.
As a culinary accent olive complement the unique tastes of vermouth and gin, with a salty taste to create a pleasant contrast of vibrant and strong flavors.