383. Zaza Cocktail

 My interpretation:
  1 oz Tinkerman’s Sweet Spice Gin
  1 oz Dubonnet Rouge

Fill mixing-glass with ice, stir, strain into cocktail glass, serve. — Named after the play which debuted in 1901, this Martiniesque Duo first appears in the earliest Jack’s Manuals dating back to 1908 and remained part of the repertoire until the last. Straub adds 1 dash of Angostura bitters with no note whether to stir or shake, McElhone, in Barflies & Cocktails (1927) adds pepsin (pepson) bitters and attributes the recipe to a certain F. Newman of Paris, Craddock in The Savoy Cocktail Book (1930) has no bitters but, like McElhone, calls for shaking it, and The Old Waldorf Bar Days (1931), based on an earlier source, has a softer 1:2 ratio of Old Tom gin and Dubonnet stirred with orange bitters stirred. The effect is simple and elegant.

377. White Rat Cocktail

My interpretation:
  1.5 oz Copper & Kings Absinthe Blanche
  0.5 oz Hiram Walker Anisette

 Fill mixing-glass with cracked ice, shake well (about 30 seconds), strain into cocktail glass, serve. — This glowing anise Duo first appears in JM 1908 with (strangely mangled) Ojen or white absinthe and Anise topped with soda, making in effect a non-bittered Ojen cocktail:

Perhaps following Straub 1913/1914, who is known for simplifying, leaving out information, or otherwise altering Grohusko’s recipes (cf. Brooklyn Cocktail, infamously), JM1916 drops the carbonic or soda as well as the specification of white absinthe. The effect of these two ingredients by themselves resembles that of a sweeter Ojen Spanish absinthe. The simplified recipe finds its way into later books such as Judge Jr.’s Noble Experiments (1930).

350. Turf Cocktail

My interpretation:
  1 oz Castle & Key London Dry Gin
  1 oz Martini & Rossi Sweet Vermouth
  2 dashes St. George Absinthe Verte
  2 dashes Luxardo maraschino
  2 dashes Regan’s Orange Bitters
  1 dash Fee Brothers Cardamom Bitters

Fill mixing-glass half full of ice, stir well, strain into cocktail glass, drop in olive, serve. — This Dry Martini augmented by dashes from half the liquor cabinet appears in JM1908 and continues unchanged. It becomes the Turf Cocktail No. 1 in Straub 1913, where the No. 2 is Holland gin, sweet vermouth, and bitters—essentially a Sweet Martini with genever, which is the recipe named “Turf Club” in JM1916 (see the next post), but simply “Turf” in the Old Waldorf Bar Book (1931).

 

338. Story Cocktail

My interpretation:
  1 oz Martell Cognac VS
  1 oz Gammel Dansk Bitter Dram

Frappé (shake vigorously 30 seconds with shaker full of crushed ice, or else use two cups full of fine ice, and turn the mixture back and forth between the cups until very chilled), strain into cocktail glass, serve. — Boonekamp bitters are the licorice-forward kind, of which the flagship brand is recognized as Underberg’s. Gammel Dansk, a newer bitter, is more punchy, perhaps, but has some similar qualities. In any event, this post-prandial duo goes back to the first edition, JM1908. It was also picked up by Straub in 1913.

331. Soda Cocktail

My interpretation:
  1 tsp sugar
  3 dashes Angostura Bitters
  5 oz San Pellegrino Limonata

Line glass with water, pour out, then add sugar and angostura, fill with ice, top up with limonata, garnish with 2 orange slices, stir, serve. —The Soda Cocktail was retained unchanged from 1908. Straub has a similar cocktail with powdered sugar and lemon peel, and only mentions lemon soda.
 

317. Scheuer Cocktail

 My interpretation:
  1 oz Vermut Lustau
  1 oz Dubonnet Rouge

Fill mixing-glass with cracked ice, stir, strain into cocktail glass, serve. — This simple, light, vermouthy Duo appetizer goes back to JM1908 and continues unchanged. In 1913, Straub includes the recipe (perhaps they both may be traced to the same source) with the probably wise addition of 1 dash Angostura Bitters, but the dash of Bitters is not incorporated by Grohusko in 1916 or 1933.

315. Saratoga Cocktail

My interpretation:
  1 oz Copper & Kings Brandy
  0.75 oz Noilly Prat Rouge
  0.25 oz Rittenhouse BiB
  2 barspoons pineapple syrup
  2 dashes Angostura bitters

Fill mixing-glass with cracked ice, stir, strain into cocktail glass, serve. — This pineapple-tinged Brandy-Vermouth cocktail—no relation to the Saratoga Cooler as found in Harry Johnson—with an added slug of Rye, betrays the great care and consideration that went into its alteration, and the effect is admirable. This late-19th century favorite appears, e.g., in the Hoffman House Bartender’s Guide (1905) with maraschino, strawberries, and champagne, but Jack Grohusko includes his own pared-down, more historic version from the outset in 1908 and continues unchanged. The drink by this name in Straub is 2 oz of brandy with pineapple syrup, maraschino, and orange bitters—this is the modern version; but Grohusko does not apparently feel the need to conform to new ideas, with the exception of pineapple syrup (much as serious coffee-houses usually, reluctantly, offer some sort of analog to a Starbucks “caramel macchiato”). Dominique Migliore’s 1925 L’Art du Shaker is more similar to Grohusko but forgoing the novel pineapple: brandy and sweet vermouth with Angostura, curaçao, and absinthe. McElhone, in Barflies & Cocktails (1927) restores to Straub’s version of the newer recipe the missing two strawberries and a top-up of champagne as the turn-of-the-century Hoffman House version. The pineapple in the Savoy Cocktail Book (1930) is a slice rather than syrup, and the champagne top-up is downgraded to seltzer.

 

296. Red Lion Cocktail

My interpretation:
  1 oz Castle & Key Dry Gin
  0.75 oz Noilly Prat Rouge
  0.25 oz home-infused orange gin

Stir with mixing-glass half-full of cracked ice, strain into cocktail glass, serve. — This Dry Martini riff with a stiff orange twist appears in JM 1908 calling for high and dry gin, Ballor Vermouth, and Booth’s Orange Gin. The latter, by the symbol on its label, inspired the name for this drink, though, aside from the Booth’s Orange Gin, this mixture differs considerably from that sweet-sour one ascribed to A. A. Tarling.

283. Porter Cocktail

My interpretation:
  1 oz Noilly Prat Dry Vermouth
  0.75 oz Aria American Dry Gin
  0.25 oz Noilly Prat Rouge
  1 sprig fresh mint

Muddle mint in mixing-glass, add ice, stir, strain into cocktail glass, garnish with fresh mint, serve. — This lighter, minty vermouth-forward cocktail, originates with JM 1908 and continues unchanged until the last edition. Curiously, Straub includes his own Porter cocktail, which he equates with Pat’s, and the recipe resembles that of Pat’s Cocktail found in Jack’s Manual, only with addition of a mint sprig.

 
   

275. Picon Cocktail

My interpretation:
  1 2/3 oz Amaro Ciociaro
  1/3 oz Noilly Prat Rouge

Fill mixing-glass halfway with ice; shake, strain into cocktail glass, garnish with fresh orange peel, serve. — Originally made in 1908 with Amer Picon (old formula) and favored Ballor Vermouth, this satisfying citrus digestif was eventually included in Straub 1913 in roughly the same form (3:1 ratio). In 1916 JM is selling M&R Vermouth instead of Ballor but the ostensibly successful recipe remains the same. The Savoy Cocktail Book (1930), usually leaning stronger than Jack, curiously calls for equal parts and no orange twist. Amaro Ciociaro can stand on its own, but Bigallet China-China Amer could do so as well. Indeed, this is a fine method of serving many amari of the same class (not forgetting to change the name accordingly).
 

272. Pheasant Cocktail

My interpretation:

  1 oz Rémy Martin VSOP

  1 oz Hayman’s Old Tom Gin

In mixing-glass half-full of broken ice shake 20–30 seconds, strain into cocktail glass, serve. — My interpretation of the recipe here is admittedly incorrect. Though no type of gin is specified in 1933, the earlier editions all indicate some form of dry (or Gordon’s) gin. My error came from the (usually correct) assumption that an unspecified “gin” in JM 1933 means something not “dry,” i.e., Old Tom, or occasionally, Holland Gin. Nevertheless, the recipe works well this way, and is a bit softer and more blended in effect. The original formulation is more bracing. We might call this variant the Tom Pheasant. The Pheasant Cocktail first appears in JM1908 and is picked up by Straub in 1913. Gordon dry is still indicated in JM 1916, but the last edition introduces the generic switch for unknown reasons.

268. Pat (Pat's) Cocktail

My interpretation:
 1 oz Aria American Dry Gin
 0.75 oz Casa Mariol Vermut
 1 dash Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao
 1 dash Angostura bitters

Stir with cracked ice, strain into bar glass, stein, or cocktail glass, garnish with lemon twist, serve. — This Martinez-like recipe, a JM 1908 original apparently designed for a customer and variously called Pat’s or Pat Cocktail (perhaps related to the Savoy recipe by the same name), is a little scant on details, but on closer inspection probably describes a lowball drink, best served in a whisky glass or small stein (6-8 oz glass with handle). In 1933, the recipe has been altered or accidentally distorted, since the 40% percent is in all previous cases Dry Vermouth, and the 10% Sweet Vermouth is omitted, so that the 40% is given to Sweet Vermouth. The specification of bar glass or stein has also been omitted:

Jack’s Manual 1908

Jack’s Manual 1912

Jack’s Manual 1916

Jack’s Manual 1933 (interpreted)

Jack’s Manual 1912–1916

267. Parson's Cocktail

My interpretation:
  2 oz Uncle Val’s Botanical Gin
  0.5 oz Noilly Prat Rouge
  1 piece orange peel

Fill mixing-glass with fine ice, frappé, strain into whisky glass, garnish with fresh orange peel, serve. — The original 1908 recipe in Jack’s Manual calls for Gordon dry gin, editions 2–4 for “high and dry” gin. Properly, this drink should have a higher proof dry gin, such as Castle & Key or Beefeater. However, the botanical gin works quite well in the circumstances, though it may not please the titular Parson. It is meant to be a bracing drink with an orange undertone, served very cold and somewhat diluted in a comfortable glass. Straub 1913/1914 has a “Parson” (non-possessive) under which the reader is referred to the Rossington, a similar drink, described as 2:1 Old Tom Gin and Sweet Vermouth stirred with an orange peel.

266. Parisian Cocktail

 

My interpretation:
 2 oz Dubonnet Rouge
 1 T lime juice

Stir with ice, strain into cocktail glass, and serve. — This recipe, occurring in two variants, is to be distinguished from that of the same name in Barflies & Cocktails (1927) and The Savoy Cocktail Book (1930), which call for equal parts gin, dry vermouth, and cassis (blackcurrant liqueur). Regarding our present recipe, the information in JM 1933 is somewhat scant by comparison with the earlier instances, which include seltzer. The change is to be traced to Straub 1913/1914, which omits the seltzer and ice. Byrrh is retained until 1916, when it is replaced with Dubonnet. I therefore add the version of JM 1908, probably imagined as a sort of lowball, in view of the ice:

My interpretation:
 2 oz Byrrh
 1 T lime juice

Build in highball glass (to accommodate seltzer), stir, add two pieces of ice, stir, top off with seltzer, serve. Below I present first the 1933 recipe served “up” and then two interpretations of the earlier recipe with seltzer.

Jack’s Manual 1916, 1933

Jack’s Manual 1908, 1910, 1912

Jack’s Manual 1908, 1910, 1912

261. Palmetto Cocktail

My interpretation:
  1 oz Appleton Estate
  1 oz Casa Mariol Vermut
  3 dashes Angostura bitters

Add ice to fill mixing-glass half way, stir well (20 seconds), strain into cocktail glass, serve. — This Rum Manhattan riff first appears in JM 1908 and continues unchanged until 1933. It also appears in other New York books with small variation. In 1913, Straub picks up the recipe, substituting Dry Vermouth for Sweet and frappéing for stirring. The Savoy Cocktail Book (1930) has sweet vermouth, but calls for 2 dashes of orange bitters and shaking. The Old Waldorf Bar Book (1931) based on the older bar manual, specifies 1 dash of orange bitters and stirring.

259. Oyster Bay Cocktail

My interpretation:
  1 oz Aria American Dry Gin
  1 oz Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao

Fill mixing-glass half full of cracked ice, shake 10 seconds, strain into cocktail glass, serve. — This gin and liqueur Duo, named for the locality near New York, appears with the first JM in 1908. Straub 1913 includes it, specifying white curaçao (for this effect, Cointreau might be substituted). Another drink by this name bears little resemblance.

252. Olivette Cocktail

My interpretation:
   1 oz Beefeater London Dry Gin
   1 oz Noilly Prat Dry Vermouth
  3 dashes Fee Brothers Orange Bitters
  3 dashes St. George Absinthe Verte
  1 dash Angostura Bitters
  1 dash gum syrup

In mixing-glass half-full of ice stir well (20-30 seconds), strain into chilled cocktail glass, express lemon peel over glass and garnish with fresh lemon peel. — The original recipe for this Martini riff from JM 1908 omits vermouth, has 2 dashes of syrup instead of 1, and includes an olive alongside the lemon peel, the latter point being perhaps rather on the nose for a drink by this name. 

These differences all reflect a reorientation of the original recipe, an enhanced Plymouth Gin Cocktail + olive, in conformity with the Martini style recipe in Straub 1913/1914, which cuts the gin with vermouth, dials down the syrup, and drops the olive. In 1927’s Barflies and Cocktails, however, we find the older recipe without vermouth, with 2 dashes syrup, and with the olive. This earlier recipe is again found in the 1930 Savoy Cocktail Book. A less similar Olivet in the Old Waldorf Bar Days (1931) has gin paired with sweet vermouth, orange bitters, and an olive, a Martinez-riff.
 

241. Morning Cocktail

The Morning Cocktail is an old standard shared by several cocktail manuals, always involving brandy and sweet vermouth augmented by dashes of various ingredients and served with a lemon twist. The name recalls the origin of the cocktail as a genteel morning pick-me-up. This version in JM1933 goes back to the first edition in 1908, showing by its lack of change the perfection of this early form and the regard for it among genteel morning-tide tipplers. Barflies and Cocktails (1927) specifies orange bitters for the generic bitters given here (I used Fee Brothers Cardamom/Boker’s Style this time), and adds a cherry in the glass along with the twist, which variation is reproduced also in the Savoy Cocktail Book (1930). JM omits the cherry.
 

240. Montana Club Cocktail

This dry, brandy-based cocktail first appears in JM 1908 and continues pretty much without change to the end. In 1908, he calls for a large bar glass half full of ice. This peculiar instruction may indicate a borrowing. Also specified there is “California Brandy.” That is, rather than French brandy (cognac). A similar cocktail in Straub called simply the “Montana Cocktail” adds 2 dashes of Angostura bitters and 2 dashes of port, specifies shaking, and leaves out the olive; still, the brandy + dry vermouth + anisette combination is enough to relate it, whereas the recipe of the same name in the 1927 Barflies & Cocktails book shares only the french vermouth and anisette, with Sloe Gin as the base, to which orange bitters are added, and a squeeze of lemon peel as a bonus. If one were charitable, one might be tempted to see the sloe gin as a good guess for the brandy + port. Another recipe found in the Old Waldorf Bar Book, a later iteration of the earlier source of many New York recipe collections, serves as an elucidator: Simply equal portions of Brandy, French Vermouth, and Port Wine, stirred. It is there called “a compliment to the field of operations of many early patrons of the Bar.” Obviously the recipes are related, though an explanation for the disparity between anisette and port is still wanting.

233. Merry Widow Cocktail

My interpretation:
  1 oz Beefeater London Dry Gin
  1 oz Dubonnet Rouge Grand Apéritif

Fill mixing-glass with ice, stir, strain into cocktail glass, twist orange peel over glass, garnish, serve. — The fancifully named drink alludes to a play and an operetta. JM1908 calls for Byrrh wine instead of Dubonnet. This is typical of that period, as several of the drinks of this kind (excepting those with Dubonnet or St Raphael in the name) used Byrrh instead of Dubonnet as a rule. Straub 1913 has a variant of this Merry Widow (there are several recipes by the name) gives the option of Sweet Vermouth or Byrrh, but the similarity ends there. It also includes maraschino and Dry Vermouth (but no gin) and is to be shaken rather than stirred. The Old Waldorf Bar Book matches Grohusko’s recipe but instructs the bartender to frappé rather than stir. JM switches from Byrrh to Dubonnet in 1916.