The Ford Cocktail

Tarus Brandy/Vermouth/Wine, Gin, Liqueurs, Stars - 3

Famous before Henry was, here is The Ford Cocktail:

  • 1 ounce Old Tom Gin (Hayman’s Old Tom Gin recommended)
  • 1 ounce dry vermouth
  • 3 dashes Bénédictine
  • 3 dashes orange bitters

Stir well with finely cracked ice, and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange twist.

Okay, to be honest, I wasn’t in the mood for a gin drink when I made this, but I have a small amount of OCD and I wanted to remove the last place in the index where I had three untried recipes in a row.

Mission accomplished.

This cocktail dates from 1895, and it seems like a vermouth heavy martini at first glance. I was determined to hate it but I was surprised at how good it was. This was the first time I’d tried Old Tom Gin and I liked it – a bit sweeter than London dry but not too sweet. I think it is the Bénédictine and bitters that give this drink its special twist, and it is interesting how small details can greatly affect the character of a cocktail.

Rating: 3/5 – it’s a strong three but I couldn’t quite give it a four as I wouldn’t turn it down but I wouldn’t seek it out.

Notes: I used Hayman’s Old Tom Gin as recommended, Dolin Dry vermouth and Angostura orange bitters.

The Communist

Tarus Brandy/Vermouth/Wine, Gin, Stars - 4

Here’s another politically named cocktail, The Communist:

  • 1.00 ounce gin
  • 1.00 ounce orange juice
  • 0.50 ounce cherry brandy (Cherry Heering)
  • 0.75 ounce fresh lemon juice

Shake in an iced cocktail shaker, and strain into a cocktail glass.

This is another drink recipe saved from obscurity by Dr. Cocktail. The only history he provides is that it came from a 1933 pamphlet titled Cocktail Parade, and all the references I can find to this recipe point right back to Ted Haigh.

Thus we have no real knowledge of the origin of the name. When I was growing up, communism was associated with Russia and Russia with vodka, but this is a gin drink. Go figure.

I’ve actually made this one before. Occasionally I hold parties where I tend bar, and I sometimes hand the book over to my friends and take requests. It was at one such party that a friend asked for The Communist and I got a sip, so I knew I’d like it when I made it for this blog.

You would think this drink would be too sweet, as it has more juice than spirit, but it isn’t cloying at all. It’s clean and refreshing and I made one for Andrea since I knew she would like it (she did). I am eager to try a variation on the drink by The Cocktail Hacker that changes the proportions slightly.

Rating: 4/5 – this is a really strong four and on another night might have gotten a five.

Notes: I used Broker’s gin and the recommended Cherry Heering.

The Algonquin Cocktail

Tarus Brandy/Vermouth/Wine, Rye, Stars - 2

It’s back to the “A’s” with The Algonquin Cocktail:

  • 1.50 ounces rye
  • 0.75 ounce dry vermouth
  • 0.75 ounce pineapple juice

Shake in an iced cocktail shaker, and strain into a cocktail glass.

I really thought I’d like this cocktail. I like rye and I thought it would go well with pineapple juice, and I really like the name.

The Algonquin is a hotel in New York City that is best known as the site of the “Algonquin Round Table“, a daily gathering of literary, entertainment and art figures that met for lunch there for nearly ten years. In my life I’ve experienced a couple of occasions where friends and acquaintances of mine have gathered for an experience I imagine to be similar to what the Vicious Circle was like, and I wouldn’t mind more of those in my life.

This cocktail, however, probably won’t be returning. I used a newly acquired Old Overholt rye which tastes a little harsher than the ryes I’ve been drinking, and while the vermouth was relatively fresh the whole drink had an unpleasant harshness. If peach bitters are added to the drink it becomes a Queen Anne, and I may try to make that with a different rye.

Rating: 2/5 – even with a different rye, for me this drink would probably garner at best a 3.

Drove My Chevy to the Levee

Tarus Rye

Speaking of whiskey and rye, here’s Drove My Chevy to the Levee:

  • 1.50 ounces rye (Redemption Recommended)
  • 0.50 ounce peach juice
  • 0.50 “brown” sugar simple syrup
  • 0.25 ounce fresh lemon juice
  • 2 dashes Peychaud’s bitters

Stir vigorously in an iced glass, and strain into a cocktail glass over ice. Garnish with sliced peaches.

This is another guest cocktail from Justin Peregoy, cocktail chef at the Oakleaf restaurant.

I live in a small town, and we are lucky to have such a great restaurant as the Oakleaf (we have our priorities right, we had a microbrewery three years before we had a McDonalds). One thing that makes it great, at least for me, is Justin. He deserves the word “chef” in his title for a couple of reasons, but mainly because he was trained as a chef and he brings those skills to the cocktail glass.

For example, he makes his own tonic and his own grenadine, which greatly improves the flavor of his drinks. And he uses seasonal items for the ever changing cocktail menu, such as fresh peaches during the summer.

My “favorite” Oakleaf cocktail changes frequently, but it is currently Drove My Chevy to the Levee. It’s hard not to have two, and since I eat at the Oakleaf most frequently during lunch, this isn’t the best idea. (grin)

The cocktail does require some preparation. I don’t have a juicer than can juice peaches, but I do have a Vitamix blender that can liquefy many things, so I just blended up some peaches and then pushed them through a sieve. It made more of a slurry than juice, but I liked the extra texture in the drink. As for “brown” sugar simple syrup, make the syrup in the usual way (one part sugar to one part water) but substitute turbinado sugar (i.e. “Sugar in the Raw”) for the standard refined sugar. If you use actual brown sugar, it contains molasses which will make the drink more bitter, and Justin likes to control the bitterness of a drink with actual bitters.

This is an incredibly tasty drink that shows off summer’s peach bounty.

Rating: 5/5

Notes: I used Redemption Rye as recommended, but I’ve also made it with High West Double Rye which was also quite good.

Barnum (Was Right) Cocktail

Tarus Gin, Liqueurs, Stars - 5

I hate the name, but I love the Barnum (Was Right) Cocktail:

  • 2.0 ounces gin
  • 1.0 ounce apricot-flavored brandy (the best is Marie Brizard’s Apry)
  • 0.5 ounce fresh lemon juice
  • 2 dashes Angostura bitters

Shake in an iced cocktail shaker, and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Okay, so let’s get the name out of the way. It supposedly references the quote “There is a sucker born every minute” which is usually attributed to P.T. Barnum. It is meant to refer the fact that many cocktails with different names are very similar, and Dr. Cocktail states that this drink “appears to be a variation of the Pegu Club” which implies you are a “sucker” for thinking this is a different drink.

While I think that subtle differences can radically change cocktails, I don’t get this reference between the Barnum and the Pegu Club. This drink uses more gin, apricot brandy versus Cointreau, and lemon juice versus lime – all in different proportions. Compare this to the Moscow Mule, which is just a Mamie Taylor with vodka instead of scotch (and better marketing), or the Gibson, which is just a Martini with a cocktail onion garnish instead of an olive, and by comparison they are worlds apart.

I wasn’t able to verify the origin of this drink on the interwebs, as everyone simply references Dr. Cocktail’s book, so I have to take his word that it is vintage.

Plus, while the Pegu Club was merely good, this cocktail is excellent. I wasn’t expecting to like it so much, but it really shows off the gin and gave me another excuse to partake of Death’s Door, one of my new favorites. The slight sweetness of the brandy accents the floral overtones in the gin without being too sweet. I had a hard time not making (and drinking) a second one.

Rating: 5/5

Notes: Death’s Door gin (recommended) and Marie Brizard’s Apry. Seriously, if you can’t find Apry wait until you can to before making this drink, but don’t wait to try Death’s Door gin.

Pegu Club Cocktail

Tarus Gin, Liqueurs, Stars - 3

Gin and citrus go well together, like in the Pegu Club Cocktail:

  • 1.50 ounces gin
  • 0.50 ounce Cointreau
  • 0.75 ounce fresh lime juice
  • 2 dashes Angostura bitters

Shake in an iced cocktail shaker and strain into a cocktail glass.

I decided to make this cocktail simply because it is referenced in another recipe that I plan to make next. It’s hot here at the moment so anything cold with “gin and juice” is welcome.

The name refers to a club in Burma (now Myanmar) frequented by British officers in the late 1800s through early 1900s. While the building still exists, Wikipedia states it is in a state of disrepair. There is a club in New York with the same name, and they apparently also serve this cocktail.

I liked it, although I had to debate with myself about whether or not to give it a three or a four. It is definitely 3.5 but my system doesn’t allow for half measures, so I finally decided to give it a three. It’s just not something I’d seek out but wouldn’t refuse one put into my hand.

If I make it again, I’ll reverse the amount of Cointreau and lime. I found the lime to be a bit overpowering. Other recipes call for a dash of orange bitters instead of a second dash of Angostura, and that would most likely improve the drink as well.

Rating: 4/5

Notes: For the gin I used some Tanqueray No. 10 that I got at the duty-free at Heathrow. I am one of the few people on the planet who doesn’t care for Tanqueray’s standard London Dry Gin, but I like the No. 10.

The Liberal

Tarus Bourbon, Brandy/Vermouth/Wine, Stars - 4

Even though I have a lot a gin drinks in the queue, I wanted a whiskey drink so I made The Liberal:

  • 0.75 ounce 100-proof Wild Turkey
  • 0.75 ounce Italian vermouth (Carpano Antica)
  • 3 dashes Torani Amer
  • 1 generous dash orange bitters

Stir energetically in an iced mixing glass, and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a cocktail cherry.

I was recently in a cocktail class where the instructor asked for everyone’s favorite cocktail, explaining that his was the Manhattan.

While I love a good Manhattan as much as the next guy, I prefer the Brooklyn in much the same way I prefer that borough of New York City to the others. The Brooklyn tends to add some extra bitterness via Amaro/Amer. One of my top cocktails is Life is Beautiful and The Liberal is in a similar vein.

It’s funny how the word “liberal”, at least in the United States, is mainly identified with a political leaning, often in a negative fashion. I find it amusing, because if you ask someone if they would like a liberal pay raise or a conservative one, I usually know the answer.

As I learned from Imbibe!, the early cocktail set was also the “sporting set” who would probably fall under the definition of “liberal” that means “lacking moral restraint”. For another definition, read Ted Haigh’s tweets (grin).

I went looking for a “Conservative” cocktail, and while the Liberal dates from at least 1934, the only recipe I could find for the Conservative dates from 2013. It doesn’t sound all that appealing.

The Liberal, however, is very tasty. While some of the recipes I found on-line call for rye instead of bourbon and a ratio of 1.5 ounces whiskey to 0.5 ounce of vermouth, this 1:1 recipe works. You must use a high quality vermouth like Carpano Antica (as there is so much of it in this recipe) and while I thought the high-proof Wild Turkey would be harsh, the drink itself was very mellow, if small.

Rating: 4/5

Notes: Instead of Torani Amer I used my homemade Amer Picon. I went with Stirrings blood orange bitters.

Fairbank Cocktail

Tarus Brandy/Vermouth/Wine, Gin, Liqueurs, Stars - 3

Because I had crème de noyeaux I made the Fairbank Cocktail:

  • 1.75 ounces gin
  • 0.75 ounce dry vermouth
  • 2 dashes orange bitters (Regan’s #6 recommended)
  • 2 dashes crème de noyeaux

Stir in a mixing glass with ice, and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a cherry.

One of the fun things about this little experiment is trying to locate all of the ingredients for these vintage cocktails. I bought a bottle of crème de noyeaux at Binny’s in Chicago, and I just wanted to point out to my two readers the effort I go to in order to get an ingredient that I will use on the order of “dashes”.

According to Wikipedia, crème de noyaux (they leave off the “e”) is a liqueur made from almonds, and after tasting it you could probably get away with using Amaretto (which is a brandy-based almond liqueur) instead. I was only able to find the Hiram Walker version which is artificially colored red, and it reminded me of cherry cough syrup (as did the flavor, although without a medicinal aftertaste). It made my version of the Fairbank very pink.

The drink itself is a modified martini and I found it to be just okay. I don’t think the crème de noyeaux added much, at least to my palate. Note that while the name is attributed to the actor Douglas Fairbanks Sr., the earliest version of the recipe, from 1922, left off the “s”, which is thought to reference a Senator from the period.

Rating: 3/5

Notes: My friend Jono introduced me to Death’s Door gin, and since I just bought a bottle I decided to use it in this drink. It is very tasty. The vermouth was Dolin Blanc. I used Angostura orange bitters since I had it on hand.

Fish House Punch

Tarus Brandy/Vermouth/Wine, Liqueurs, Rum, Stars - 5

For the Fourth of July, what could me more patriotic than Fish House Punch?

  • 2.0 quarts Jamaican Rum (Appleton recommended)
  • 1.0 quart brandy (Hennessy recommended)
  • 0.5 pint peach brandy
  • 0.5 pint maraschino liquor
  • 1.0 quart freshly made green tea
  • 1.0 pint lemon juice
  • 1.0 pound powdered (not confectioners’) sugar
  • 1.0 bottle champagne

Stir together in a large pot with lid. Let brew (they advise for two days). When ready, pour over ice in a punch bowl and stir in the champagne

I had been wanting to make Fish House Punch for some time, but since it makes nearly 2 gallons I had to wait for the right occasion. As it turned out, I had about 30 people coming over for a cookout on the Fourth of July so it seemed to be the perfect time.

Wikipedia refers to Fish House Punch as “this most venerable of American flowing bowls” which a little poetic for them but spot on. It is known that George Washington would partake of this punch, and it can be assumed that other founding fathers did as well. If the US of A was to have a national punch, this should be it.

As a host of a party I can highly recommend it. Basically, once your guests have a few cups, they pretty much won’t care about the quality of the rest of the party. This stuff is fun, delicious and potent. I’m afraid that I overcooked the hamburgers a bit after a couple of cups myself, but as mentioned above, no one cared (although a few people teased me about it).

For the initial preparation, you’ll need a container that holds at least 1.5 gallons. I bought a 2.5 gallon jar from Amazon.

The powdered sugar was a little problematic, as the only thing my store sold that was labeled “powdered” was 10x confectioners’ sugar. I solved the problem by sticking a pound of regular granulated sugar in a food processor for about three minutes.

You’ll also need ice and a punch bowl. I bought a Jello mold to make a ring of ice, but it was a little too small. I also got a nice punch bowl and a ladle that would keep things cool. While I liked it fine when it wasn’t ice cold, my guests seemed to prefer it with lots of ice, so if I make it again I’ll make a bigger ice ring. We just added ice to it until it reached a temperature people liked.

Some adventurous folks even mixed it with a local soda called Cheerwine and said it worked well. I did not try that. I liked it (a little too much) as it was.

Rating: 5/5

Notes: I used the Appleton and Hennessy as recommended. I used Luxardo maraschino liquor and most of my precious, oak-aged Kuchan peach brandy. The champagne was Gosset that I received as a gift.

Brandied Cherries

Tarus Ingredients

I have a drink I want to make that calls for Brandied Cherries. This is the recipe I went with:

  • 0.50 cup white sugar or turbinado
  • 0.50 cup cherry juice or water
  • 1 stick cinnamon
  • 0.25 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 cup brandy, maraschino liqueur, aged rum, or any combination of the three
  • 1 pound cherries, stemmed and pitted if desired
      • In medium saucepan, combine sugar, cherry juice (or water), cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Bring to a low simmer. Simmer, stirring until sugar is fully dissolved. Remove saucepan from heat. Add brandy or other liqueur, and stir to combine. Add cherries and stir until coated with syrup. Remove to clean canning jars. Let cool to room temperature and then refrigerate overnight before serving.

I have a classic cocktail that I want to make that isn’t in the book, but I found a recipe on-line. It in pretty complex, but starts with muddling brandied cherries. While I have some Luxardo Cherries that would probably work, I decided I wanted to make my own. I had to wait until cherries came into season, however.

I found Daniel Shoemaker’s recipe, but it was a little too over the top for me, and I don’t need five pounds of them. This shortcut recipe was more my speed, but I didn’t wait months for cherries to be available to used canned ones.

The recipe above seemed just right. I first dutifully stemmed a pitted a pound of cherries:

using my most excellent cherry pitter (Alton Brown cautions against single use kitchen tools, but this one is amazing and I guess I could use it for olives). I found cherry juice at my local co-op and opted for a concentrated cherry juice since I figured that would further intensify the cherry flavor.

For the alcohol I used 0.75 cup of Martell’s cognac and 0.25 cup of Luxardo Cherry Liquor.

I didn’t process them all that long, about five minutes (I think the alcohol should take care of most issues) and each jar developed a nice seal. I had a little bit left over so that went into the refrigerator, and the ones I’ve sampled from there have been tasty.