August 28, 2019

Five Classic Cocktails that Were (Almost) Forgotten

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When it comes to cocktails, they just don’t make ’em like they used to. And in many cases, they don’t make ’em at all. Ask the twenty-something-year-old bartender at your local haunt for a Grasshopper, and they’re likely to serve you a look of confusion.

The refined cocktails of yesteryear have been forgotten by many. But that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy them! Check out these recipes for classic cocktail drinks you can make right in your own home.

Invite a few friends, bust out the shaker and cool off this summer with a refreshing blast from the past.

Gin Fizz

What’s more refreshing than a sweet spot of gin and bubbles? The Gin Fizz is a beloved classic that’s easy to make and even easier to enjoy. Add the optional egg white, and you’ve got yourself a Silver Fizz.

● 2 oz. gin

● ¾ oz. lemon juice

● ¾ oz. simple syrup

● 2 oz. soda water (or enough to top off the glass)

● Optional: egg white

● A lemon peel for garnish

Combine gin, lemon juice, simple syrup and egg white in a shaker with ice. Shake thoroughly, especially if you include the egg white. Strain into a highball with ice and top it off with soda water. Bottoms up.

Pisco Punch

Cocktails came onto the scene in the late 1800s. But before cocktails, there was punch.

Pisco Punch is a San Francisco classic. When Pisco, a Peruvian grape brandy, was imported through the bay in the early 1900s, San Franciscans fell punch-drunk in love — and now, you can too with this party-sized recipe.

● 1 pineapple (about 4 lbs.) peeled, cut into one-inch pieces

● 1 750 ml. Bottle Pisco

● 2 cups simple syrup

● 1 ½ teaspoons lime zest

● 1 ½ teaspoons grapefruit zest

● ⅔ cup fresh lemon juice

Combine Pisco and pineapple pieces in a large pitcher or jar. Cover and refrigerate for three days and stir occasionally. Divide simple syrup in half, mixing one with the lime zest, and the other with grapefruit zest. Cover and refrigerate for one night.

Strain Pisco into a pitcher or punch bowl and discard the pineapple. Strain both syrups into the Pisco. Add lemon juice and stir.

Garnish with pineapple or pineapple leaves.

Fuzzy Navel

Think back to your favorite ’80s cocktails, and you might remember this one fondly. Forget about bitters and obscure liqueurs. The Fuzzy Navel is a fruity summer drink that’s all flavor, no fuss.

● 3 oz. peach schnapps

● 3 oz. orange juice

Combine ingredients into a highball glass over ice. It’s as simple as that!

For a Hairy Navel, replace half of the peach schnapps with vodka.

The Dandy Cocktail

Just because it’s summer doesn’t mean you have to go bananas. If fruity drinks aren’t your cup of tea, consider the deep, complex flavors of the Dandy Cocktail. This refined bourbon drink comes from the classic 1930 “Savoy Cocktail Book.”

● 1 1/2 oz. bourbon

● 1/2 oz. Triple sec

● 1 1/2 oz. Dubonnet Red

● A dash of Angostura bitters

Stir ingredients with ice. Strain and serve in a chilled cocktail glass.

Gin Rickey

What is it about gin that is so nostalgic? It all goes back to the Prohibition. Gin was easy for bootleggers to brew, and any bad taste leftover from the bathtub was easy to mask with, say, lime juice.

The Gin Rickey is said to be F. Scott Fitzgerald’s favorite drink. Mix one up for yourself and party like it’s 1929.

● 2 oz. gin

● ¾ oz. fresh lime juice

● Soda water

● Lime wheel for garnish

Stir gin and lime juice in a highball glass with ice. Top it off with soda water and add a lime wheel for kicks.

The Grasshopper

Round out your next dinner party with the adult version of an after-dinner mint. This vibrant green classic is like candy in a glass, the perfect dessert for a summer get together.

● ¾ oz. green creme de menthe

● ¾ oz. white creme de cacao

● ¾ oz. light cream

● Mint leaves for garnish

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until chilled. Strain into a cocktail glass, add mint leaves for garnish and serve.

Jack Rose

Famously enjoyed by Ernest Hemingway, this classic, pre-Prohibition era cocktail was once as common (and esteemed) as the Old Fashioned or the Sidecar. This chilled apple brandy beverage is perfect for the last days of summer, when the sun is still warm and the fall winds are just beginning to blow.

● 2 oz. Applejack

● ¾ oz. grenadine

● ¾ oz. freshly squeezed lemon juice

● A splash of Peychaud’s bitters

Combine ingredients in a shaker, fill with ice, and shake vigorously until chilled. Strain into a coupe or martini glass. Squeeze the lemon peel over the surface of the drink, skin side out, to release its fragrance. Rub the rim of your glass with the peel of the lemon and discard.

Please drink responsibly.

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