Martini (Cocktail)

The martini is a cocktail made with gin and vermouth. The drink is almost always garnished with an olive or, less commonly, a sliver of lemon peel. It is often described as being "crisp". Over the years, the martini has become one of the most well-known mixed alcoholic beverages. H. L. Mencken once called the martini "the only American invention as perfect as the sonnet", and E. B. White called it "the elixir of quietude". It is the drink of the one-time "three-martini lunch" of business executives. The martini is one of six basic drinks listed in David A. Embury's classic, The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks, along with many other favorite cocktails.