Tom Collins

The Martini is, along with the Manhattan, probably the epitome of late 1800s classic cocktail-making. Wild myths of origins, simple preparation that highlights the bartender's craft, wonderful flavor and a healthy kick. Maybe it has its origin in a Martinez, maybe it has roots in a marketing campaign by vermouth company Martini. But it is certain it starts out being made with Italian (sweet) vermouth, and gin. In the early 1900s, it changes to French (dry) vermouth, which gets known as a dry martini. Then comes Churchill, Bond, and suddenly the 80's. The recipe stands for itself, but let us stress here that Espresso Martinis, Pornstar Martinis, and Breakfast Martinis are not martinis at all.

A rose by any other name would smell just as sweet, as the bard said. In the 1980s anything served in a stemmed triangular glass was a martini, and no one had the stomach for actual martinis. Hence comes Pornstar-, Breakfast and French martinis, and of course, the star of the show, the Espresso Martini. Technically a dessert cocktail more related to a shaken Black Russian, it has become a staple at any bar worth its salt for the last 30 years.

The Fitzgerald cocktail is a classic gin-based cocktail first made by Dale DeGroff in the 1990’s, named after the famous author and drinker, F. Scott Fitzgerald. Made with gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, and Angostura bitters, the cocktail is shaken with ice and served on the rocks. It is often served with a lemon twist or garnished with a cherry. The Fitzgerald is a tangy and refreshing cocktail that has regained popularity in recent years, as the craft cocktail movement has led to a resurgence of interest in the classic cocktails.