Cocktails of the Speakeasies
I'm working on a rewrite of a story I wrote years ago called A Speakeasy called Hell and I've been living the 1920's. I thought I'd share a little of the Bright Young Things world. Time for cocktails. Originally, the term meant only those drinks that contained bitters, but now has come to mean any mixed drink. Cocktails have been around since the early 1800's, with the Sazerac one of the first known by name in the 1820’s. But with the advent of cheaply made illegal alcohol during prohibition they quickly became popular often to cover the taste of the inferior alcohol. Fashionable parties with fashionable drinks.
The following are all from the 1920’s.
Between The Sheets
3/4 oz. each; Rum, Brandy, Cointreau, Splash of Lemon juice, or Sour mix
Blend with ice, Strain & Serve up in a chilled cocktail glass.
Champagne Punch
1 cup water
2 tablespoons Orange Curacao
2 cups sugar
Juice 2 lemons
1 quart California champagne
2 cups tea infusion
4 tablespoons brandy
Ice
2 tablespoons Medford rum
1 quart soda water
Make a syrup by boiling water and sugar ten minutes. Mix champagne, brandy, rum, Curacao, lemon juice, and tea infusion. Sweeten to taste with syrup and pour into punch-bowl over a large piece of ice. Just before serving add soda water.
Old Fashioned
2 oz. Whiskey or Bourbon, Splash of Simple Syrup, Bitters & Soda. Fill rocks glass with ice, Add simple syrup, bitters, liquor & soda, Garnish with an orange slice and cherry
Mint Julep
1. Fill a tall glass or silver tumbler with crushed ice.
2. Put 2 sprigs of fresh mint in another glass.
3. Add 1/4 oz. of water.
4. Add 1 tsp. Sugar.
5. Muddle ingredients well.
6. Add 3 oz. of Bourbon.
7. Stir gently, but thoroughly.
8. Strain into glass with crushed ice.
9. Garnish with fresh sprigs of mint.
Red Death Cocktail
1 oz. Vodka, 3/4 oz. each: Amaretto, Triple Sec, Southern Comfort, & Sloe Gin, Splash of Orange juice, Dash of Lime juice
Shake with ice & Pour into a Tall glass
Mary Pickford
Stir well with cracked ice:
1 1/2 oz white rum
1 oz unsweetened pineapple juice
1/2 teaspoon grenadine
Strain into chilled cocktail glass and drop in a maraschino cherry.
Colony Cocktail
Shake well with cracked ice:
1 1/2 oz gin
3/4 oz grapefruit juice
2 tsp maraschino
Strain into chilled cocktail glass.
Bacardi Cocktail
Shake well with cracked ice:
1 1/2 oz light rum
1 /2 oz lime juice
3 dashes grenadine
Strain into chilled cocktail glass.
Barbary Coast
Shake well with cracked ice:
3/4 oz blended Scotch
3/4 oz gin
3/4 oz crème de cacao
3/4 oz heavy cream
Strain into chilled cocktail glass.
Sidecar
Shake well with cracked ice:
1 ¼ oz cognac
½ oz Cointreau
¾ oz fresh-squeezed lemon juice.
Strain into chilled, sugar-rimmed cocktail glass
French 75
Shake well with cracked ice:
1 ½ oz London dry gin
½ oz fresh-squeezed lemon juice
¾ oz simple syrup
Strain into highball glass full of cracked ice and top off with chilled champagne.