from H-AMSTDY:
 
 
>Date: Tue, 11 Feb 1997 14:16:40 -0500 (EST)
>From: Lee A Ghajar <[log in to unmask]>
 
Whether this is "literature" depends on the breadth of your definition;
however, it is an interesting story.  FromHugh Gibson, 1833-1954:
Extractsfrom his letters and anecdotes from his friends with an
introduction by Herbert Hoover.  Ed. Perrin C Galpin.  New York:  Belgian
American Educational Foundation, Inc., 1956.  p.28  Tells of the origin of
the Gibson Martini.  Gibson was not a drinker; however it was the habit of
a group stationed at the State Department in the old building on
Pennsylvania Avenue to walk to the Metropolitan Club after work each day.
Gibson couldn't handle the second and third drinks his companions ordered.
"...and at the same time I didnot wnt to ruin the part for the rest of the
boys, so I arranged with the bartender to fill my glass with plain water
on the second and all later rounds.  As he did not want to confound my
drink of plain water with the others he got into the habit of placing a
pickled, baby onion in it."  His colleagues discovered Gibson could drink
and drink with no inebriating effects and began to order the "Gibson."
For them, the bartender made the drink with almost all gin and very little
vermouth--and a pickled baby onion.  An interesting story, anyway.
 
Lee A Ghajar
<[log in to unmask]>