375. White Elephant Cocktail

My interpretation:

  1.25 oz Tinkerman’s Sweet Spice Gin

  1 oz Cocchi Vermouth di Torino

  1 egg white

Fill mixing-glass with chipped or broken ice, shake well (about 30 seconds), strain into cocktail glass, serve. — This creamy Sweet Martini + Egg White first appears in Straub 1913 in a 2:1 ratio. When it was taken into JM1916, it was weakened slightly to 3:2. The 2:1 ratio also appears in The Old Waldorf Bar Days (1931), doubtless a belated record of the original source.

356. U. C. Cocktail

My interpretation:
  1 oz Castle & Key London Dry Gin
  1 oz Martini & Rossi Extra Dry Vermouth
  1 dash St. George absinthe verte

Fill shaker with ice, shake about 30 strokes, strain into cocktail glass, serve. — This shaken Martini+absinthe recipe first appears in Straub 1913 without a hint as to the source of the name.
 

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).

 

349. Tulane Cocktail

My interpretation:
  1 oz Castle & Key London Dry Gin
  1 oz Martini & Rossi Sweet Vermouth
  1 tsp strawberry syrup

Fill shaker with fine ice, shake, strain into cocktail glass, serve. — This Dry Martini with a strawberry twist first appears in Straub 1914. Since I had strawberry syrup made recently, I used that instead of strawberry brandy. The difference is probably minimal at such a small quantity.

345. Treasurer Cocktail

My interpretation:
  1.5 oz Castle & Key London Dry Gin
  0.5 oz Noilly Prat Extra Dry Gin
  1 slice orange (for mixing)

Fill mixing-glass with broken ice, stir, strain, garnish with orange twist, serve. — This strong dry martini with an orange twist appears in Straub 1913 by the slightly different name Treasury, with an orange slice instead of twist, to be shaken (frappéed) with the other ingredients. I have included the orange component on both ends for the added distinction from other similar recipes.

 

312. St. John Cocktail

My interpretation:

  1 oz Gin Lane 1751 Old Tom Gin

  1 oz Casa Mariol Vermut Negra

  1 dash Fee Brothers Orange Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into cocktail glass, serve. — The second of the three “saints” from the analogous section of Straub, this slightly sweeter Martini varies depending on the Martini recipe referred to. In Straub, it’s a 2:1 sweet vermouth Martini. Grohusko’s Martini is, as typical, adjusted to 1:1, favoring a cheaper mixture (or less-inebriated customer!).

 

286. Prince Henry Cocktail

My interpretation:
  0.75 oz Aria American Dry Gin
  0.75 oz Noilly Prat Rouge
  0.5 oz Hiram Walker Crème de Menthe (white)
  1 dash Regan’s Orange Bitters

 Frappé (shake vigorously with fine ice), strain into chilled cocktail glass, serve. — This cooling, minty Martini-riff appears first in laconic Straub, from which it is borrowed for JM 1916 without filling in the directions. Frappé drinks in this time are almost always strained. In the Old Waldorf Bar Book (1931), the Prince Henry is a Martini with a dash of crème de menthe on top, while the Prince is whisky with crème de menthe and orange bitters. This is further support for a Martini-style strained drink, rather than one served on fine ice (which frappé usually signifies today). The Old Waldorf Bar would be more trustworthy in this case than Straub, since it is based on the original recipe book to which Straub may or may not have had access. The 1935 revision by Crockett attributes the Martini-style drink to the commemoration of a visit by Prince Henry (Heinrich) of Prussia in 1902.
 

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.

 
   

280. Poet's Dream Cocktail

My interpretation:
  1.33 oz Aria American Dry Gin
  0.66 oz Dolin Dry Vermouth
  2 dashes Regan’s Orange Bitters
  2 dashes DOM Benedictine

Fill mixing-glass with ice, stir, strain into cocktail glass, serve. — This dry martini riff is first found in Straub 1913 in the ratio 2:1, 2 ds each of orange bitters and Benedictine. It is reprodcued in JM1916. The 1931 the Old Waldorf Bar Book gives an equal-thirds recipe of dry gin, dry vermouth, and Benedictine, with a lemon twist.
 

248. Nutting Cocktail

My Interpretation:
  1.25 oz Beefeater London Dry Gin
  0.75 oz Dolin Dry Vermouth
  1 dash Angostura bitters
  1 dash Fee Brothers orange bitters

Shake with ice, strain into cocktail glass, serve. — This Martini riff calling lavishly for two bitters, is first found with this name in Straub 1913, borrowed in 1916, when the 2:1 ratio became 3:2. In 1933, “dry gin” was changed to “gin” either accidentally or without effect (a vague term in 1916 and 1933).

245. Newman Cocktail

This Dry Martini riff with a bitter-orange amaro accent is borrowed from Straub to make its JM debut in 1916, but both men may have known it from the old Waldorf Bar, which, besides presenting it as a Perfect Martini riff which is frappéed rather than simply shaken, also provides an interesting detail:

Here is the JM1933 take with Amaro CioCiaro sitting in for Amer Picon. Bigallet China-China Amer, now widely available, would do just as well if not better, though not much better for the price.
 

231. McHenry Cocktail

My interpretation:
  1 oz Beefeater London Dry Gin
  1 oz Casa Mariol Vermut Negra
  1 dash Fee Brothers Orange Bitters
  1 tsp or bsp Rothman & Winter Apricot liqueur

Fill mixing-glass with ice, stir, strain, serve. — This augmented Martini, previously in JM1916, is found first in Straub 1913, where, as here, the reader is referred to the Martini Cocktail. To begin, therefore, we consult the Martini Cocktail on the previous page:

The only difference there is that Straub calls for stirring the Martini “well.” To this, then, is added 1 tsp of Apricot “brandy” (Hungarian in Straub), meaning, we may safely say, not the clean eau de vie des apricots, but the sweet, fruity, fragrant kind of dram pungent enough to be noticeable at the ratio of 1 tsp to 2 oz of remaining liquids (Straub specifies 1 bsp).

227. Martini Cocktail

My interpretation:
  1 oz Beefeater London Dry Gin
  1 oz Casa Mariol Vermut Negra
  1 dash Regan’s Orange Bitters

Fill mixing-glass with method ice, stir 10 seconds, strain into cocktail glass, serve. — The original recipe shows little variation from standard recipes of the day, though the Dry option is not listed (the 1935 Old Waldorf Bar Book by contrast has 4 versions, perhaps an influence of post-Prohibition tastes). Jack originally specified Gordon Dry and Martini & Rossi in 1908.
 

209. Lewis Cocktail

My interpretation:
  1 oz Bluecoat Gin
  1 oz Noilly Prat Extra Dry

Shake with ice, strain into cocktail glass, serve. — This martini-riff, a shaken dry Fifty-Fifty Martini, first appears in Straub 1913 and is picked up from thence by JM 1916 without change. The recipe originally specified Dry Gin, and JM 1916 calls for Gordon’s. It is included in the Waldorf-Astoria Bar Book (1935) with the same recipe, and may have thus been picked up by Straub directly from the W-A bar manual before the Bar Book was published.

208. Leowi Cocktail (Loewi Cocktail)

 My interpretation:
  0.5 oz Hayman’s Old Tom infused with orange peels
  1 oz Captive Spirits Big Gin
  0.5 oz Noilly Prat Extra Dry

Fill mixing-glass with ice, stir, strain into cocktail glass, serve. — This pre-dinner cocktail recipe first appears in JM 1908 under the name Loewi (a surname, like Otto Loewi). In that recipe, Booth’s Orange Gin is specified by name. The 2nd Edition changes the spelling to Leowi. The 3rd Edition’s pertinent page is missing. Straub 1913 has Loewi, pointing to Straub’s better knowledge or confinement to JM 1908. At any rate, the change in spelling persists to 1933, though the spelling Loewi seems correct. While no orange gins are readily available in our market, orange gin is not difficult to produce. The easiest method is to place several orange peels in a container of gin for about 4 weeks, agitating occasionally, and strain off into a clean, sealable container. This special ingredient adds a fragrant orange flavor to this Dry Martini riff (with a 3:1 ratio) without weakening or sweetening it too much.

182. Improved Martini Cocktail

My interpretation:
  1 oz Captive Spirits Big Gin
  1 oz Alessio Chinato
  1 dash Fee Bros. Orange Bitters
  1 dash Luxardo Maraschino

Fill glass (12 oz) with cracked ice, stir, strain into cocktail glass, serve. — Like the previous Improved Manhattan, this recipe calls for the simple addition of 1 dash Luxardo Maraschino to the regular recipe (to come). It first appears in JM 1908 and is taken up by Straub 1913 with an extra dash maraschino.

154. Good Times Cocktail

My interpretation:
  1.25 oz Aviation American Gin
  0.75 oz Dolin Dry

Fill mixing-glass with ice, shake, strain into cocktail glass, express lemon peel over glass, garnish, serve. — This martini-riff recipe comes from Straub 1913, where Tom or Cordial Gin is specified. The Tom Gin continues in JM 1916, but is reduced in 1933 to simply “gin.” The “good times” aspect is suggested by a heavier (and thus more intoxicating) portion of gin. Evidence is wanting to connect it to the late-19th c. Good Times Club.
 

150. Gibson Cocktail

My interpretation:
  1 oz Castle & Key London Dry
  1 oz Martini & Rossi Extra Dry

Stir in mixing-glass half-full of ice, strain into cocktail glass, serve. — Jack lifts this Martini riff recipe, supposedly from San Francisco, probably from Straub 1913/1914 for his 1916 edition of the Manual. It is previously found in Boothby’s 1908 book, where he states “No bitters should ever be used in making this drink, but an olive is sometimes added.” In the Savoy Cocktail Book it is garnished with expressed lemon.

119. Dry Martini Cocktail

 My interpretation:
  1.0 oz Hawthorn’s London Dry Gin
  1.0 oz Noilly Prat Extra Dry

Fill mixing-glass with cracked ice (crack in your hand if you wish), stir, strain into cocktail glass, and serve. — A Dry Martini in the old day obviously gets you a wet one by today’s standard. The “Dry” here is to distinguish the type of Vermouth used, not the ratio. A regular martini would thus call for equal parts Sweet Vermouth and Gin stirred without addition of bitters or garnish, as shall be seen at the proper place.

110.5* Excursus on Martini-Style Cocktails in JM

Excursus on Martini-Style cocktails in Jack’s Manual.

Nowadays “Martini” describes any proportion of gin and dry vermouth chilled and diluted by mixture with ice. The number of barely distinguishable cocktails containing gin and vermouth and bearing different names in the early twentieth century may explained by the variety of sources and experience from which Jack’s Manual draws. Additionally, Hotel, club, and bar “house” cocktails were often nothing more than their own version of a gin-and-vermouth or whisky-and-vermouth mixture. Jack Grohusko sometimes allows the same recipe to appear with two different names, but in general he seems to preserve a distinction in each one. Here is list to help clarify (to keep it simple, I omit those that have a dash of something — like the Martini, a 1:1 stirred with sweet vermouth, which adds Orange Bitters).

Gin + Dry Vermouth 
3:1 stirred w/ orange peel = Treasurer
3:1 shaken = Cushman
   w/ lemon peel = Blackstone No. 1
   w/ orange peel = Blackstone No. 2
3:2 stirred = Duke.
3:2 shaken = Coney (post-1910)
1:1 stirred = Dry Martini
   w/ olive = Cat
   w/ orange peel = Racquet Club
1:1 shaken = Cornell, Lewis, Coney (1908–10)
  w/ pimola = St. Francis


"Martinez" - Gin + Sweet Vermouth
4:1 shaken w/ orange peel, served down = Parson
3:1 shaken = Consolidated.
3:2 stirred w/ orange peel = Rossington (w/ Old Tom gin before 1933)
1:1 stirred = Perfect or Turf Club (not the Turf)


"Perfect Martini" - Gin +Dry Vermouth + Sweet Vermouth
16:3:1 (80%, 15%, 3%) shaken, served down = Shonnard
3:1:1 w/ lemon peel = Sphinx
2:1:1 = Four Dollar
  w/ orange peel = Blackstone or McLane
  w/ orange peel served down = Boles