Happy Repeal Day Mixology Monday, everyone! As usual, I’m late to the party, as I (naturally) forgot my camera elsewhere over Thanksgiving and just got it back.
The theme of this month’s challenge has to do with a very special day, that being December 5th, the anniversary of the day that the 21st amendment was ratified, thus ending Prohibition. It’s a happy, hallowed day in the cocktailosphere and we’ve banded together to gather up drinks that celebrate the pre-Prohibition legacy of cocktails.
Naturally, being a relative small fry in the world of cocktail history, I have relatively limited resources as regards pre-Prohibition recipes. Fortunately, I do have a copy of The Savoy Cocktail Book, which is where I found the Leave It To Me—apt, as you can always leave it to me to be the one sneaking in the door two hours late.
1½ oz Plymouth gin
¾ oz apricot brandy
¾ oz French (dry) vermouth
2 dashes peach bitters
dash lemon juiceShake all ingredients well over ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
Those who have (or have memorized) The Savoy know that the original recipe calls for grenadine, not peach bitters. I admit to tinkering, as grenadine really didn’t sound appetizing nor did I think it would do much to complement this drink. I opted instead to add some delightfully aromatic peach bitters to add a little more stonefruit flavor. It turned out lovely—sort of a very female martini, in the least pejorative way possible. It’s light and flavorful with hints of sweetness and a lovely aromatic quality teasing around the edges. If only the ladies of the Temperance movement had had a few of these, they might have been more amiable about the 21st amendment.
Happy Repeal Day!
December 5th, 2007at 8:21 pm(#)
sounds like a great drink for the ladies who lunch! the peach bitters sound like a good sub in. nice call.
December 12th, 2007at 11:51 am(#)
Thanks! It would definitely be a great lunchtime drink—I can see it set up alongside a buffet of tea sandwiches and creamy salads, right before a rousing rubber of bridge.
January 22nd, 2009at 7:43 am(#)
Interesting — this looks like a more apricotty Self-Starter, with the Lillet switched out for dry vermouth. Have you ever had the Self-Starter? I think Lillet would be a nicer lengthening ingredient than the vermouth. Your thoughts?
January 25th, 2009at 5:54 pm(#)
It’s similar, but it lacks the anise flavor of the pastis/absinthe called for in the Self-Starter. I’m a big fan of that combination, but this was certainly a good variation.