POPCULTURE · HISTORICAL MARKER
Birthplace of The Martini
Pop Culture
2
In 1874, Julio Richelieu, a bartender on this site, served the first martini when a miner entered his saloon with a fistful of nuggets and asked for something special. He was given a "Martinez Special," and after three or four drinks the "Z" would get very much in the way. The drink consisted of 2/3 gin, 1/3 vermouth, a dash of orange bitters, served over crushed ice with an olive. Humorist James Thurber later said, "One is alright, two is too many, and three is not enough."
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Martinez, California
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