According to the history books, the Dirty Martini was invented in 1901 by New York bartender John O’Connor, who used to serve it up at the legendary Waldorf Astoria. It wasn’t until many, many years later, however, that it would be popularised by the 32nd President of the United States, Franklin D. Roosevelt, a well-known enthusiast who had his own eponymous FDR Martini. This concoction consisted of two parts gin, one part vermouth, a dash of olive brine, a lemon twist and an olive.
The story goes that Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin were all attending the Yalta Conference in 1945. Apparently, Roosevelt was suffering from a hangover and complained to Stalin, who went on to recommend a Russian ‘hair of the dog remedy’ – a glass of vodka mixed with the salty brine of pickle juice. With neither of these two available (it was breakfast, after all), Churchill came in and saved the day with a bottle of gin and a jar of olives. The next thing you know, a legendary cocktail was born.
