Back to cocktails, a few months ago I went to Purl, a New York-style speakeasy in the Marylebone area of London, and tried an exquisite cocktail called the Crystal Clear Martinez. Martini fans, here's a great distraction. Made with Jenson’s Old Tom gin, sweet vermouth , Maraschino liqueur and Bob’s Orange & Mandarin bitters, it's served shaken and on the rocks with bits of orange peel. Absolutely delicious and sophisticated, makes you feel cooler than Bond...well, almost.
For a bit of history thanks to NPR:
"There are several stories about where the martini got its name. They include the claims that it was named for Martini & Rossi vermouth or for the Martini & Henry rifle used by the British army in the late 1800s (both had a strong kick). I like the story that in 1874, a miner plopped a bag of gold nuggets down on a bar in Martinez, Calif., and asked the bartender to make him something special. The bartender mixed up what he called a Martinez cocktail. The city has put up a brass plaque identifying itself as the birthplace of the martini."
-http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124904105
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