Barnum (Was Right) Cocktail

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.

Pegu Club Cocktail

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 Liberal

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.

Fairbank Cocktail

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][1] 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”.

Fish House Punch

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

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Brandied Cherries

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.

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The Derby

In honor of American Pharoah winning the Triple Crown, I decided to make The Derby:

• 1.00 ounce bourbon
• 0.50 ounce sweet vermouth
• 0.50 ounce orange curaçao
• 0.75 ounce fresh lime juice

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

Growing up I didn’t think winning the Triple Crown of horse racing was a big deal. In the span of six years, from 1973 to 1978, three horses did it.