How Blue Cheese-Stuffed Olives Ended Up In Your Martini

There's nothing quite like a trio of blue cheese-stuffed olives in a gin and vermouth martini. Pungent and salty, these bold little appetizers highlight florals in the gin and balance out vermouth's strong flavor. At the bar, you've got to know your garnishes if you want to order a martini like a pro. But if you ask for a blue cheese-stuffed olive martini, you might just discover your new favorite drink. Sharp and bitter, yet creamy and zesty, green olives jam-packed with blue cheese add something special whether you're out on the town, or you're heading to your kitchen to make a classic dirty martini for yourself.

There are several stories about the origin of blue cheese-stuffed olives, but most of them claim that the green olive garnish got its start thanks to a New York bartender in 1901. As martinis crawled their way through Prohibition, the ratio of gin to vermouth began to lean heavily in favor of the gin. Once martinis were served in public again, bartenders added green olives to balance out the strength of the liquor. Martini olives became popular in the late 1800s and early 1900s, but it would take almost a century for blue cheese to end up in the center of the fruit.

Some say blue cheese-stuffed olive garnishes originated in Chicago's Club Lucky in 1989, when the restaurant's owner needed something special for his signature martini. But real fans of blue cheese-stuffed olives know there were whispers of such a garnish dating back to the 1960's. While olives were introduced as a cocktail garnish early on, blue cheese-stuffed olives first appeared on an appetizer plate. As the snack gained popularity, it was only a matter of time before someone decided to stuff martini olives with blue cheese, too. Club Lucky is just one of the restaurants that claim to have originated blue cheese-stuffed martini olives, but the inventor's true identity remains a mystery. What is clear is that blue cheese-stuffed martini olives likely got their start at Midwest steakhouses — most likely in Chicago. And they've since gained popularity all over the world.

Along with their blurry beginnings, there's been a dispute about whether blue cheese-stuffed olives even belong in a martini in the first place. Some believe the strong flavors complement and add complexity to a martini, but others claim the garnish overpowers the gin and vermouth. Advocates say the type of olives you use is key to making the garnish work, and that the best are Castelvetrano olives because of their buttery texture and mild salinity.

Large, pitted green olives like Divina Castelvetrano are best for stuffing because they are firm and big enough to hold the filling. Plus the green olive brine pairs well with blue cheese. Some bartenders have taken a stab at stuffing black olives with blue cheese — Chicago's Drake Hotel tried it in the 1970's calling the drink a black olive martini (B.O.M.) — but the garnish didn't last long on the menu.

Make the filling for your blue cheese-stuffed olives with a high quality blue cheese like Gorgonzola, Roquefort, or English Blue Stilton. You can also mix some cream cheese with your blue cheese to lend a smoother texture and add fresh rosemary, if you'd like. Using a piping bag filled with the blue cheese mixture — or a tool like the Olive Express — stuff the center of the olives. Then you can chill your olives until you're ready to garnish your martini. Some recipes even suggest soaking the stuffed olives in leftover brine to increase the flavor. When you're ready, make a martini your favorite way and add your blue cheese-stuffed olive garnish on top.