The Martini was invented in San Francisco by an eponymous (look it up!) bartender, but it was Charles Dickens who tweaked the recipe. You see, Dickens was having a hard time coming up with a lead character and title for his next novel.

He dropped his quill late one night and left his desk for the streets, and ended up wandering into his neighborhood watering hole. The bartender recommended something new, still concocted with London gin, called a Martini. Dickens asked what that was and asked if he could have it chilled, straight up. The bartender suggested an extra-dry proportion, seven to one. Dickens said fine, and he hoped that was his last decision before he could try this new Martini and get back to his writing.

But then the bartender had to ask, “Olive or twist?”