French 75 history

[Jamie B]

In doing some research into the proper recipe for the French 75, I have uncovered the following three recipes:

A) around 1917 it was gin, absinthe, and calvados

B) around 1925, Harry’s New York Bar in Paris had it as gin, lemon juice, sugar and champagne (with perhaps a teaspoon of anis).

C) sometime after that many recipes had it as cognac, lemon juice, sugar and champagne.

I’ve always known it to be as Harry’s recipe. Does anyone know how it evolved from the original??

Does anyone know what the original proportions were? (I can't imagine a way in which it would taste good!)

Does anyone know why/how (or when) it got twisted from gin to cognac after 1925??

[scordelia]

All I know is that it is the deadliest cocktail known to man.

[DrinkBoy]

It is my understanding that the gin, absinthe, calvados version is known simply as the "75", while that improved gin, lemon juice, sugar, champagne version is the one that is properly called a "French 75".

The first occurance I know of for the "French 75" is in "The Savoy Cocktail Book" (1930), and the first occurance I know of for the "75" is in Harry McElhone's Bar Flies and Cocktails (1927).

You mention a reference for the "75" in 1917? I'd be interested in knowing what book that was in. And do you have an earlier version of the "French 75" than from The Savoy?

Both drinks were quite popular, and perhaps invented as well, at Harry's American Bar in Paris.

My theory on the "cognac/brandy" recipes, is that they mistakenly see the term "French" and immediately assume that it "must" mean it is made with brandy/cognac since gin isn't very French... It was actually the champagne that made this drink "French", and gin is indeed the correct/original base spirit to be used.

Even David Embury gets this wrong.

Made with brandy/cognac it "should" be considered a different drink.

-Robert

[BTR]

Do you have proportions for the gin/calvados/absinthe 75? Sounds interesting.

[Jamie B]

I can't remember where I found the earlier reference, but I do remember that it said that it was first in print in 1919, and that it was named after a particular battle in WWII in which the 75 mm guns were the decisive factor in that victory.

My copy of Harry's ABC of mixing cocktails that I picked up at Harry's this year dates the French '75 to 1925, and credits it to the bar, but not to Harry himself.

I would love to know the proportions of the original, if you happen to have them.

[Jamie B]

Oooops....

I just found the '75 Cocktail in Harry's ABC of Mixing Cocktails, and it says in brackets after the recipe "(Recipe: this is the original 1915 recipe of the French '75 Cocktail)"

Thanks for the lead DrinkBoy!!!

For those who are curious, the recipe is as follows:

1 teaspoonful of Absinthe, 2/3 Calvados, 1/3 Gin. Shake and strain.