The French 75 Cocktail is a tribute to the 75mm artillery piece that the French and Americans fielded in World War I. Its story is a reminder that cocktails evolve; sometimes good things are lost, sometimes good things are gained. In the case of the French 75 cocktail, both things happened.
Continue reading “The French 75 Cocktail — Tom Collins in a Tuxedo”
I was delighted to come across the Hart of Darkness cocktail in Jeff Berry’s Beachbum Berry Remixed (2010). Hart of Darkness is one of Berry’s originals, and its 21st century recipe fits nicely with his impressive compilation of mid-20th century tiki drinks. Continue reading “The Hart of Darkness”
The Whiskey Sour is all about flavor balance. The drink is very simple—just a spirit, some fresh lemon juice, sugar and water. Too much lemon is just plain harsh. Too much sugar is cloying. Somewhere in between is a simple, tasty refresher. Like the Old Fashioned, it provides a welcome break from the flavor complexities of more sophisticated cocktails. Continue reading “Dangerous Drinks: The Whiskey Sour”
I recently noted that rum drinks, notably the Daiquiri, were sneaking into my cocktail repertoire. I was reminded of a visit to San Diego, and to the Babcock and Story bar at the Hotel del Coronado. It was August, a fine, hot, sunny afternoon, with the sea breeze blowing along their great long stretch of hundred-year-old mahogany bartop. “What have you that’s tall and cool?” asked my bride. “You’ll like our Mojito,” answered the barman, and and went straight to work with his muddler. Continue reading “The Mojito del Coronado Cocktail”
The Minnesota winter has worn off, and the Daiquiri is gradually supplanting the whiskey sour in my cocktail rotation. I’ve never been much of a rum drinker in the past (I can’t explain that), so this turnabout is unexpected, and welcome. I’m chalking it up to education, broadened interests, and a fascination with classic cocktails.
The Daiquiri is certainly a classic, the first of the really great cocktails to be invented outside the United States. The story is that it was first mixed in 1896 by Jennings Cox, a steel company engineer in Daiquiri, Cuba, who had run out of gin. Continue reading “The Daiquiri Cocktail”
Lime or lemon? Jack Rose recipes seem to be schizophrenic. Continue reading “Jack Rose: Lime or Lemon?”
On Prohibition Day and Repeal Day I thank my lucky stars that I can decide for myself if a cocktail is in order this evening, and that some faceless bunch of bluenoses no longer blockades a significant element of American cuisine and culture. I make a particular effort to celebrate with a recipe that I’ve not experienced before, and Robert Hess’s recent Scofflaw post and backgrounder suggested the perfect classic for the day’s theme.
