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One of our first COOKing at Home posts focused on classic cocktails, namely the Negroni, Sidecar, Daiquiri and Sazerac. It’s Friday, and we could all use a cocktail (right?), so we’re offering you six more classic cocktail recipes, courtesy of April Wachtel of Cheeky, a Brooklyn-based company that delivers cocktail bar-quality syrups and juice to your doorstep. Way back in 2015, April led a cocktail crash course at COOK, and we’re happy to share her recipes and background notes from that class. Cheers!
Mint Julep
Circa 1790 – 1800. The Mint Julep was originally made with cognac, and perhaps with a rum float. We best know it as a bourbon drink, and as the official beverage of the Kentucky Derby.
2.5 oz bourbon, cognac, or rye
.5 oz simple syrup or 2 tsp sugar
6 – 8 mint leaves, plus 2-3 sprigs
Gently muddle the mint leaves in the sugar or simple syrup at the bottom of a julep cup or highball glass. Alternate adding spirits and crushed ice, stirring constantly until the glass frosts. Garnish with mint sprigs and a straw.
Old Fashioned
Circa 1800 – 1810. The original Cocktail from the early 19th Century. A more modern version (from the early 1900’s) may be made by muddling a cherry and an orange slice at the bottom of the glass, and by garnishing with another cherry and orange slice rather than a lemon or orange twist.
2 oz rye or bourbon
3 dashes Angostura bitters
1 sugar cube, 1 heaping barspoon sugar,
or 1 barspoon simple syrup
splash of water or soda water
1 lemon or orange twist
Place sugar cube in a mixing glass. Add bitters and splash of water. Muddle until sugar cube is dissolved. Add whiskey and ice, stir for 20-30 seconds. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice. Squeeze orange oil from the orange twist over the surface of the cocktail and place in the glass, colored side facing up.
Manhattan
Circa 1870 – 1880. The predecessor to the Martinez and the Dry Martini, the Manhattan has been a classic since its inception in the late 1800’s.
2 oz rye or bourbon
1 oz Italian sweet vermouth
2-3 dashes Angostura bitters
Stir, strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with either a cherry or lemon twist.
Dry Martini
Circa 1890 – 1900. Everyone has their own preferences for ratio of gin to vermouth. This is a classic recipe from the late 1800’s. Modern recipes generally omit the orange bitters.
1.5 oz London dry gin
1.5 oz French dry vermouth
1 or 2 dashes orange bitters
Stir, strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist or any odd number of olives (1 or 3).
Mojito
Circa 1920 – 1930. Classically made with Cuban white rum, one can substitute all sorts of rums for a super versatile drink. These proportions make for a juicy drink- we will also make a drier/boozier version with 2.0 oz rum, and 0.5 oz each of Lime Juice and Simple Syrup.
1.5 oz Cuban light rum
.75 oz simple syrup
.75 oz fresh lime juice
4-8 mint leaves, 1-2 sprigs
splash soda water
The Mojito may either by made in a mixing glass or tin, shaken, and strained over fresh ice, or made directly in a highball glass, and stirred with its original ice. Either way, muddle the mint gently with the simple syrup, add rum, lime juice, and ice. If building the drink in a mixing glass or tin, Shake, strain into a highball glass over fresh ice, top with soda and stir. If building the drink in a highball glass, merely stir all of the ingredients with the ice, and add soda. Garnish the drink with your mint sprig(s) and a straw.
Margarita
Circa 1930 – 1940. The Margarita is essentially a child of the Sidecar (or at least a close cousin!) If you look at the recipes, only minor modifications have been made, and one could easily prepare the Margarita with the Sidecar’s proportions, and vice versa.
2 oz tequila
1 oz cointreau
.75 oz fresh lime juice
.5 oz simple syrup (optional)
optional salt rim (preferably coarse/kosher)
lime wedge or wheel
If you’d like a salt rim, pour salt onto a small plate. Pour lime juice onto another plate and first dip the rim or a chilled cocktail glass in the liquid, and then in the salt, or simply rub the rim of the glass with a lime wedge and then dip the glass in the salt. Salt on the inside rim of the glass may ruin the drink, so ensure that only the outside edge is salted.
Combine all ingredients in a shaker tin, shake, and strain into the cocktail glass. Garnish with a lime.
For those days when you simply don’t feel like cooking, The Philadelphia Inquirer has a comprehensive list of area restaurants who are offering takeout and delivery!
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