Monday, February 04, 2008

Playing the Classics…

I recently bought a lovely little 1934 cocktail book called “Burke’s Complete Cocktail & Drinking Recipes.” It put me back more than $60… but frankly, for an original book printed 80 years ago, I thought I got a bargain. (Then again, I think I get a bargain if I find Steve Maddens for under $100…)

Meanwhile, I've been collecting antique cocktail glasses to use in the various photo shoots for my upcoming cocktail book. So... tonight I brought these elements together and made my first experiment from the book!

I may not have done it 100% correctly. The recipe called for “French vermouth” and I used Italian Martini & Rossi extra dry vermouth. And, I used a pretty flavorful Bombay Sapphire gin. I also used Lucid Absinthe, which many pooh-pooh as not real absinthe.

Anyway, I gave this recipe a whirl and the one thing I really like that about classic cocktails is that they are not overly sweet dessert drinks like far too many “tini” drinks these days!

This is the one I made, straight from the book. Try it at home and tell me what you think:

Turf Cocktail No. 1

1 part Gin Absinthe
3 dashes
1 part French Vermouth
Ice

Stir. Strain and serve with a Lemon Twist.

3 comments:

Washington Cube said...

I was just reading somewhere that the older cocktails were NOT as sweet as contemporary versions. A friend had turned me on to an old cocktail book from the 1930's that she had inherited from a relative (I got mine on Amazon used), and I found some fascinating things, including an obsessive use of Creme Yvette aka Creme de Violette.

I've created my cocktail for this week in honor of Chinese New Year: The Year of the Rat(fink). And yeah...it's sweet, but pretty and red for good luck.

http://washingtoncube.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

Any bartenders here? If so, check this out:
BRI Interviewing, Inc. is sponsoring an internet panel of American bartenders to give their opinions on current products and trends.
The best part is, you will be PAID to do it.
If you sign up, there is absolutely NO pressure or commitment. You decide WHEN and IF you complete the surveys, and we will pay you accordingly.

To find out more, go to www.bartenderlounge.com and click "About," or just click "Join now."

Anonymous said...

It was sure a bargain!