the Ginslinger: March 2014

The Dry Martini is a great cocktail. Bénédictine is a great liqueur. So what will happen when we combine those two? Yes, of course: we get another great cocktail.

Just a few little adjustments can really make difference. Compare the Caprice with the Cabaret and see what bitters and some tweaking with the ratios can do.

3 parts gin

1 part dry vermouth

1 part Bénédictine

1 dash orange bitters

glass: cocktail

Stir with ice and strain into the glass.

It’s beautiful in its simplicity. And with a lovely, lively name to go with it.

Vancouver

If you substitute sweet vermouth for dry vermouth and switch to the golden ratio the Caprice will turn into the Vancouver. A very aromatic cocktail that lives in the same neighbourhood as the Rolls Royce.

Somehow, most of the (diverse) recipes of the Vancouver I find will specify Punt e Mes as the vermouth of choice. Since Punt e Mes is even more bitter than regular sweet vermouth, you’ll probably be gasping for the Bénédictine. Switching to the ratio of the Caprice could mend this.

Martinez

I touched upon the Martinez when I introduced the Dry Martini. The Martini seems to have evolved from this cocktail, which in turn can be considered a ‘gin Manhattan’. So the Martinez bridges the gap between the king and queen of cocktails: the Martini and the Manhattan. Ironically, unlike the latter two, the Martinez has never made quite a name for itself. This is slowly changing, with mixology gaining a new following, but the general public (and bartender) will probably look blank when you bring up the Martinez.

The history and exact recipe of the Martinez are quite hazy. I recommend reading through this article of tempered spirits for some background and variations.

1 part gin (preferably Old Tom gin)

1 part sweet vermouth

1 dash maraschino

2 dashes orange bitters

glass: cocktail

Stir with ice and strain into the glass.

Garnish with a lemon twist.

Originally, the bitters that were used in the Martinez were Boker’s bitters. Those bitters were unavailable for a long time, though. Orange bitters have been the standard substitute and work great as well. If you really want to try out the original, you should try to get a hold of the new version of Boker’s bitters that has found its way on the market.

Silver Cocktail

If you substitute dry vermouth for sweet vermouth, stick to dry gin and add another dash of maraschino, you will get the Silver Cocktail.

Yes, that’s three tweaks, so that almost warrants a separate recipe entry. But in my opinion it’s easier to remember recipes when you can link them to other, similar recipes.

Friday 28 March 2014

Bar on hold: Argentina and the Casino

Let’s take our brand new bitters for a spin.

Argentina

An orangy tasting cocktail due to the Cointreau and orange bitters. Dry vermouth and Cointreau do not necessarily mix well (in my opinion), but there are always exceptions.

4 parts gin

4 parts dry vermouth

1 part Cointreau

1 part Bénédictine

1 dash orange bitters

1 dash Angostura bitters

glass: cocktail

Stir with ice and strain into the glass.

Garnish with an orange twist (if available).

The cocktail has an orange tint. Ironically, it’s not the Cointreau or the orange bitters which make this happen.

Casino

Back to The Savoy Cocktail Book: the Casino seems somewhat like a gin-heavy Aviation, but it has an entirely different character.

Although it contains lemon juice, it should be stirred instead of shaken: the amount of lemon is very small. Because your cocktail will stay clear, it is advisable to strain the lemon juice very thoroughly.

The amount of lemon and maraschino depends on the type of gin you’re using. The Casino originally calls for Old Tom gin. If you manage to stock this in your bar, one barspoon of lemon and maraschino will do enough (because the Old Tom already has some sweetness). If you go for dry gin (which is not uncommon), try a ratio of 8 parts of gin to 1 part of lemon and 1 part of maraschino.

gin (preferably Old Tom gin, 8 cl)

1 bar spoon maraschino

1 bar spoon lemon

2 dashes orange bitters

glass: cocktail

Stir with ice and strain into the glass.

Garnish with a cherry (if available).

I finally managed to get my hands on Old Tom gin, so I’m happy to try this in the original version. In my next post I’ll tackle a venerable classic that also calls for Old Tom.

Thursday 13 March 2014

Orange bitters (Fancy Sour)

This is not the easiest ingredient to come by: you’ll need a top-shelf liquor store to get you this product. Or you’ll have to find your own way to a webshop that delves deep in the cocktail niche.

So yes, this is an ambitious ingredient. It’s a safe bet that anyone that stocks orange bitters is serious about making cocktails.

So do you want to be serious about making cocktails?

This is supposed to be a practical approach to cocktail making, so what is such a specialized ingredient doing in the bar?

Well, mainly because you’re better off stocking one bottle of orange bitters than a dozen different bottles of vague liqueurs that are hard to combine. You can play around with bitters, they are a solid part of cocktail history, they come in beautiful, small bottles and they don’t go bad easily - what could possibly be more practical than putting a small bottle in your bar to be recognized as a true hobby mixologist?

Okay, but why orange bitters instead of Peychaud’s bitters? Well, the Sazerac is my favourite cocktail, so that would be reason to choose for Peychaud’s. But it also contains three other ingredients that we don’t stock in the bar at the moment. Orange bitters open up more options right now. And there’s some real satisfaction in being able to make a Dry Martini like it used to be made, including being able to tell others about cocktail history.

Orange bitters went out of vogue after Prohibition. But since the recent cocktail revival, orange bitters have reappeared. There’s even choice now: there are several different brands of orange bitters, all with their own peculiar taste and wildly different in alcohol percentage.

One bottle is enough of a leap for now, however. Just go with whatever you can find or which bottle you think looks best.

Fancy Sour

This one can be made in the fancy way or in the casual way (as a scaffa, but with ice). I generally go for the casual version, if only as a break from the norm.

If you want to go the fancy way, you should shake instead of build the drink. Use a cocktail glass instead of an Old Fashioned glass. As a garnish, add an orange peel (if available).

A casual Fancy Sour is still a Fancy Sour, however.
Personally, I think this recipe is a real find.

2 parts sweet vermouth

1 part maraschino

1 part lemon juice

1 dash Angostura bitters

1 dash orange bitters

glass: Old Fashioned glass

Build over ice into the glass. Give it a quick stir.

I picked up a mould for really large ice cubes that I’m quite happy with. That way, the drink will be cooled with limited dilution.