By Nathan Greene, Resident Mixologist and International Wine, Spirits & Beer Event's 2010 Star of the Bar winner
Recently, while on shift, I was asked to make a Gin Fizz, a Sazerac and a Pimm’s Cup. Not simultaneously, mind you, but within a week’s time. It’s odd to hear these requests where I work. The “classic” I normally get asked to make is an Old-Fashioned, the muddled fruit version, not the original version, which I’ll get to later in this post.
When I do get requests for classic cocktails, I feel a mix of full-blown excitement tinged with fear. First, I get excited because I respect the classics, even though I have not had the chance in my young career to really study them completely. Because of that, the fear I feel is that of me presenting my patron with something so utterly and embarrassingly undrinkable that I will be shamed forever and never want to be behind the stick again.
Thankfully, my worst fear did not come true in either of the aforementioned instances, and I am still employed! Reading this recent article by the great Gary Regan got me to thinking I need to continue to build my foundation on the classics before I get too far ahead of myself.
The great thing about classics is the people who make them, study them and/or order them don’t always know everything about them. For instance, the woman who ordered a Gin Fizz wanted it with egg white. She was unaware that is actually called a Silver Fizz. Also, she was unfamiliar with the idea that Fizz recipes were served without ice. I know this because I brought this to her attention after she ordered, stating specifically she wanted her Gin Fizz “on the rocks.”
Now, clearly, I don’t know much, but when I do know something, I don’t act pretentious about it. Therefore, I politely imparted some facts about how a Tom Collins, essentially the same recipe as a Gin Fizz (London Dry Gin, Lemon Juice, Superfine Sugar and Soda Water), was built in the glass it was served in with ice, but a true Gin Fizz was served without ice after it was shaken with ice and strained into the glass. Also, the original Tom Collins used “Old Tom Gin,” a slightly sweeter version and precursor to the London Dry Gin. I proceeded to make her the requested Silver Fizz, and she enjoyed it so much, she had another, which I’m learning is as good of a compliment a bartender can receive.
Another example of how we can all learn something from everyone is when I made the Sazerac. I actually knew the Sazerac cocktail, considered to be perhaps the first cocktail ever created on American soil, was made originally made with Cognac, not Rye Whiskey like we know it to be made with today.
A fellow bartender friend of mine has a co-worker who swore the Sazerac was created in New Orleans in the 1830s and was always made with Rye Whiskey, which was all true, except for the Rye Whiskey part!
Originally, John D Gertsen had used Peychaud’s Bitters, considered to be a medicine back then, and mixed it with Cognac because he was French and Cognac is what the French imbibed. In New Orleans, Rye Whiskey was the spirit of choice, so the Rye was substituted for the Cognac. What I didn’t know was how the Sazerac got its name. I learned it wasn’t until 1859 when John Schiller gave the concoction that moniker after opening his Sazerac Coffee House in New Orleans. Therefore, it was being consumed for nearly 30 years before becoming officially what we know and love (at least I do) as the classic Sazerac which is created as follows:
The Sazerac Cocktail
• 1 cube sugar
• 11/2 ounces Rye Whiskey
• 3 dashes Peychaud's Bitters
• Lemon peel
Assembly
1. Start with an Old-Fashion glass packed with ice.
2. In a second Old-Fashion glass pour the Peychaud's Bitters over a sugar cube or a teaspoon of simple syrup if no sugar cube.
3. Add the Rye Whiskey.
4. Empty the ice out of the first glass, then coat the glass with a splash of Herbsaint or Absinthe, discarding the rest.
5. Pour the Whisky, sugar and bitters mixture into the empty glass.
6. Twist a lemon peel over the mixture and rub it around the rim of the glass. The peel can be dropped in or discarded depending on the customer’s preference (and they WILL let you know!).
Perhaps my favorite classic cocktail at the moment, however, is what was recently brought to my attention by my friend, Tim, who bartends at the Aria Resort & Casino CityCenter here in Las Vegas. It’s called “The Last Word.” This cocktail was actually mentioned in last month’s GQ magazine, as well, the one that named the 25 best cocktail bars in America.
It’s a very simple recipe consisting of:
¾ oz London Dry Gin (Plymouth works best in my opinion)
¾ oz Green Chartreuse
¾ oz Luxardo Maraschino
¾ oz Fresh Lime Juice
Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. No garnish necessary.
The Downtown Cocktail Room here in Las Vegas, and my neighboring bar, has this on their menu, and it is fantastic! Somehow, these four ingredients make a completely balanced cocktail, and it is incredible. Rarely does one see any more than ½ oz of Luxardo Maraschino in ANY cocktail, yet this has ¾ oz along with the heady, herbal-sweet 110 Proof Green Chartreuse, leading anyone to believe that there’s no way this could work, but this is a classic cocktail for a reason! I encourage you to ask your bartender to make you one of these next time you’re looking to try a classic. Or ask for an Aviation, or a Clover Club, or a Corpse Reviver No.2, or a Negroni … hey, it’s easy to get carried away!
Until next time, kanpai!
Colin Firth, who plays King George VI, is up for best actor and Helena Bonham Carter has been nominated for best supporting actress.Bottes UGG Soldes
Posted by: Bottes UGG Soldes | December 15, 2010 at 01:36 AM