Joining them in this tradition inspired today’s two-part tip:

 
When a pitted, pimento-stuffed olive was first used to garnish a Martini, the olive selection was far less than it is today.

Today, artisan producers offer more than a dozen stuffed olive options:

Martini with a side of olives. Photo courtesy Ruth’s Chris Steak House.

Then, start mixing. The classic Martini proportion is is 1 part London dry gin to .25 part dry vermouth. Shake with ice and strain into a Martini glass. Don’t have Martini glasses? Try a small wine goblet.
 
*We’ve had some pretty disappointing cheese-stuffed olives: The cubes of cheese have been rubbery and almost tasteless. If you have that experience, look for Divina and Mezzetta brands.

While the drink may date back to Gold Rush-era San Francisco, in 1850, a claim is made by the city of Martinez, California, northwest of San Francisco.

The claim is that the Martinez—the predecessor of the Martini—was created there, by a bartender named Julio Richelieu. The recipe called for gin and sweet vermouth instead of dry vermouth, plus bitters and an olive. A recipe for the Martinez was first published in 1867, in “The Bartenders Guide.”

A 1907 cocktail recipe book, “The World’s Drinks and How to Mix Them,” is the first printed reference we have for a Dry Martini Cocktail. Made with gin and dry French vermouth, served with lemon peel and an olive. It credits a bartender 375 miles south of Martinez, in Los Angeles.

Here’s more on the history of the Martini—including James Bond and the Martini.