Stomping Through the "Savoy" (2006–2007)

[eje]

jazzyjeff sent me an image of the Booth's Advertisement from his edition.

Who knew celebrity bartenders flogging spirits brands was such an august institution?

[The Hersch]

Wow. Cool. Definitely not in my copy.

[eje]

Bombay Cocktail (No. 1)

4 Dashes Lemon Juice

3/4 Wineglass East Indian Punch (1 1/2 oz Ponche Raja)

Shake well and strain into cocktail glass.

About "East Indian Punch" cocktaildb sez, "Defunct. Likely to have been a brand or other descriptive designation for a Swedish Punsch-style liqueur."

When I was questing for Swedish Punsch a local liquor store suggested I purchase this product as a replacement. I am really glad it was not expensive.

I figured I'd use it here, what with the maharaja and East Indian theme on the bottle.

It is just awful. Sweetened grain alcohol flavored with vanillin.

The only nice things are the shiny bottle and kitschy label.

If you value your brain cells, I'd suggest avoiding it.

This is going down the sink. From here on out, I'll be substituting my homemade Swedish Punsch. Whether or not it really tastes like Swedish Punsch or East Indian Punch, at least I know that it tastes good.

Edited February 15, 2007 by eje (log)

[Vesper Lynd]

Bombay Cocktail (No.2)

1 Dash Absinthe (1 Dash Absente, Liqueur aux Plantes d'Absinthe)

2 Dashes Curacao (2 Dashes Cointreau)

¼ oz French Vermouth (¼ oz Noilly Prat)

¼ oz Itailian Vermouth (¼ oz Rosso Antico)

½ oz Brandy (½ oz Dorville XO)

Shake well and strain into cocktail glass.

This cocktail had a lovely yellow topaz colour, and so far has been one of the hidden gems for us. The flavours were, rich, complex and lingering. The citrus, of the Cointreau and anise, of the absinthe, combined to make this a very satisfying drink, that we will definitely add to our regular list of drinks.

[eje]

Booksellers' (Special) Pride

1/4 Orange Juice (3/4 oz Blood Orange Juice)

1/4 Calvados (3/4 oz Germain-Robin Apple Brandy)

1/2 Gin--Booth's Dry (1 1/2 oz Plymouth Gin)

A green cherry that has been macerated in Orange Curacao.

Shake well and strain into cocktail glass, afterwards adding the green cherry

From the "New and Additional Cocktails section" of the second edition of the Savoy cocktail book.

Skipped the puzzling green cherry procedure. I'm not sure that the cherry or use of the suggested Booth's Gin would significantly change the cocktail. As is, it's a perfectly fine cocktail, which could probably be improved with a drop or two of bitters.

Sadly, I've finished off the last of my old-style Plymouth gin bottles, and finally had to crack the new style one.

[thirtyoneknots]

Sadly, I've finished off the last of my old-style Plymouth gin bottles, and finally had to crack the new style one.

←

I keep refilling my old ones -- Victory or Death :-P

[kvltrede]

Booksellers' (Special) Pride

1/4 Orange Juice (3/4 oz Blood Orange Juice)

1/4 Calvados (3/4 oz Germain-Robin Apple Brandy)

1/2 Gin--Booth's Dry (1 1/2 oz Plymouth Gin)

A green cherry that has been macerated in Orange Curacao.

Shake well and strain into cocktail glass, afterwards adding the green cherry

From the "New and Additional Cocktails section" of the second edition of the Savoy cocktail book.

Skipped the puzzling green cherry procedure.  I'm not sure that the cherry or use of the suggested Booth's Gin would significantly change the cocktail.  As is, it's a perfectly fine cocktail, which could probably be improved with a drop or two of bitters...

Erik, which bitters you recommend I try first? The blood oranges I've had so far this year have been a huge disappointment-kinda bitter--but I have one left and thought I might give this recipe a go this weekend.

I've used Peychaud's and aromatic bitters with blood orange juice before. Were you thinking of one of these?

Thanks.

Kurt

[eje]

Erik, which bitters you recommend I try first?  The blood oranges I've had so far this year have been a huge disappointment-kinda bitter--but I have one left and thought I might give this recipe a go this weekend.

I've used Peychaud's and aromatic bitters with blood orange juice before.  Were you thinking of one of these?

[...]

←

Kurt, I guess I was thinking Angostura or Orange. But now that you mention it, Peychaud might be pretty nice. Anise and Orange are flavors I like a lot together.

[The Hersch]

Erik, which bitters you recommend I try first?  The blood oranges I've had so far this year have been a huge disappointment-kinda bitter--but I have one left and thought I might give this recipe a go this weekend.

I've used Peychaud's and aromatic bitters with blood orange juice before.  Were you thinking of one of these?

[...]

←

Kurt, I guess I was thinking Angostura or Orange. But now that you mention it, Peychaud might be pretty nice. Anise and Orange are flavors I like a lot together.

←

How about Stirrings' blood orange bitters?

[eje]

Boomerang Cocktail

1 Dash Lemon Juice

1 Dash Angostura Bitters

1/3 French Vermouth (1 oz Noilly Prat Dry)

1/3 Canadian Club Whisky (1 oz Forty Creek Barrel Select)

1/3 Swedish Punch (1 oz homemade)

Shake (stir - eje) well and strain into cocktail glass. (Squeeze lemon peel over glass. - eje)

Tasty; but, the whisky didn't seem to stand much of a chance. It's all about the punch and the lemon.

Apparently, a version of a cocktail with this name is still made. I'm told, though, it is usually made with Gin, Bitters, Dry Vermouth, and Maraschino Liqueur. Beyond the name, it doesn't seem to have much to do with the version here.

[eje]

Booster Cocktail

4 Dashes Curacao (teaspoon Brizard Orange Curacao)

The White of 1 Egg

1 Glass Brandy (2 oz Korbel VSOP)

Shake well and strain into medium size glass. Nutmeg on top.

Shoulda been more generous with the Curacao or maybe used a nicer brandy. Dash of bitters?

Certainly no Pisco Sour. Drinkable; but, not that interesting.

[David Santucci]

Bombay Cocktail (No.2)

1 Dash Absinthe (1 Dash Absente, Liqueur aux Plantes d'Absinthe)

2 Dashes Curacao (2 Dashes Cointreau)

¼ oz French Vermouth (¼ oz Noilly Prat)

¼ oz Itailian Vermouth (¼ oz Rosso Antico)

½ oz Brandy (½ oz Dorville XO)

Shake well and strain into cocktail glass.

This cocktail had a lovely yellow topaz colour, and so far has been one of the hidden gems for us. The flavours were, rich, complex and lingering. The citrus, of the Cointreau  and anise, of the absinthe, combined to make this a very satisfying drink, that we will definitely add to our regular list of drinks.

←

I tried this one with slightly less lofty ingredients (ie, VS not XO cognac). The first time through I was too heavy-handed with the Absinthe and it tasted like medicine. The second time I was more ginger with the Absinthe and dialed up the Italian vermouth a dash or two -- this was much better. With a dash of Unicum bitters, it was downright delicious.

[David Santucci]

Bosom Caresser Cocktail*

The Yolk of 1 Egg

1 Teaspoonful of Grenadine (Rose's)

1/3 Curaçao (3/4 oz. Luxardo Triple Sec)

2/3 Brandy (1 1/2 oz. Raynal VSOP)

Shake well and strain into medium size glass.

*This might be called the "Bobby Jones" or the "Francis Ouimet" Cocktail, as these two gentlemen, usually so chary of expressing preferences, distinctly expressed one for this concoction.

Well I hate to disagree with Mr. Jones and Ouimet, but I found this one rather candy-like and one-dimensional. In collaboration with my roommate, we added lemon juice, for a bit of sour, and Bourbon, for a bit of oak, which led to a cocktail much more to our liking. For lack of a better name, we christened it the:

Breast Caresser Cocktail

1 oz. Bourbon (Evan Williams Black Label)

3/4 oz. Brandy (Raynal VSOP)

2/3 oz. Curaçao (Luxardo Triple Sec)

1/2 oz. lemon juice

1/3 oz. Grenadine (Rose's)

1 egg yolk

Edited February 20, 2007 by David Santucci (log)

[thirtyoneknots]

Homemade grenadine is an improvement over Rose's that cannot be overstated, and the cost is about the same in the end. I would recommend retrying it with some homebrew.

-Andy

[Vesper Lynd]

Brain-Storm Cocktail

½ Wineglass Irish Whisky (2oz Tullamore Dew)

2 dashes Benedictine (4 dashes Benedictine)

2 dashes French Vermouth (4 dashes Noilly Prat)

Squeeze orange peel on top. Stir well and strain into a cocktail glass. (As the astute observer can probably tell from the photo we shook ours whoops)

After I had started to mix this drink I discovered that we had no oranges in the house, but we proceeded any way. Perhaps that's what was missing from our version of this drink. Or perhaps I was too mean with my dashes? What ever the answer it certainly seemed to be lacking something.

On my initial reading of the instructions I had assumed that the orange zest was to be squeezed onto the surface of the finished drink, that would seem to make sense to me. However on re-reading the instructions as I typed them up, I'm not so sure

Edited February 20, 2007 by Vesper Lynd (log)

[Vesper Lynd]

Brandy Cocktail

2 Dashes Curacao (3 dashes Cointreau)

¾ Wineglass Brandy (2oz Dorville XO)

Stir well and strain into cocktail glass.

This was a really nicely balanced drink with the Cointreau providing subtle undertones of orange.

Edited February 20, 2007 by Vesper Lynd (log)

[Vesper Lynd]

Homemade grenadine is an improvement over Rose's that cannot be overstated, and the cost is about the same in the end. I would recommend retrying it with some homebrew.

-Andy

←

Do you have a recipe for home made grenadine that you can share with us?

I've been using some French Grenadine Syrup made by Teisseire which I don't find to be as sweet as some of the others I've tried.

Edited February 20, 2007 by Vesper Lynd (log)

[thirtyoneknots]

Homemade grenadine is an improvement over Rose's that cannot be overstated, and the cost is about the same in the end. I would recommend retrying it with some homebrew.

-Andy

←

Do you have a recipe for home made grenadine that you can share with us?

I've been using some French Grenadine Syrup made by Teisseire which I don't find to be as sweet as some of the others I've tried.

←

To avoid getting off-topic I've posted my recipe here.

-Andy

[Vesper Lynd]

Brandy Blazer

1 Lump Sugar (1 Sugar Cube)

1 Piece of Orange Peel (1 Piece of Orange Peel)

1 Piece of Lemon Peel (1 Piece of Lemon Peel)

1 Glass Brandy (2oz Dorville VSOP)

Light with a match, stir with long spoon for a few seconds and strain into a cocktail glass

This can be drunk whilst still alight if so desired.

Until recently I had been sceptical of the value of burning good alcohol. However the action of the flame on the sugar and the peel, caramelises the sugar slightly and seems to liberate some additional flavours from the peel, adding an intensity to the drink.

I flamed and served my drink in the same glass, so a word of caution is necessary if you plan to follow my lead. The brandy took some warming with a lighter before it would burn continuously, so the glass was rather warm (hot) when it was served. I snuffed the flame by placing a folded damp tea towel over the mouth of the glass.

All in all a spectacular (once you get the brandy up to temperature) and tasty drink.

Edited February 21, 2007 by Vesper Lynd (log)

[Vesper Lynd]

Brandy Crusta

3 Dashes Maraschino (3 dashes Maraska Maraschino )

1 Dash Angostura Bitters (1 Dash Angostura Bitters)

4 Dashes of Lemon Juice (4 Dashes freshly squeezed lemon juice)

¼ Curacao (½oz Cointreau)

¾ Brandy (1½ox Dorville VSOP)

Use small wine glass. Moisten the edge with lemon and dip edge into caster sugar which frosts the glass. Cut the rind of half a lemon spiral fashion; place in a glass. Fill Glass with cracked ice.

Stir well and strain into prepared glass, adding slice of lemon

We followed the recipe up to the point of filling the prepared glass with cracked ice. We simply strained our drink into the rimmed glass with the lemon rind and then added a slice of orange.

There is a little bit of prep work involved if you don't have a glass rimming kit, but it's well worth it as this was another great drink.

[eje]

Boy, we're really cruising now!

I hope no one minds if I go back to re-try some of these great sounding cocktails!

[David Santucci]

Boy, we're really cruising now!

I hope no one minds if I go back to re-try some of these great sounding cocktails!

←

Yeah, really--I've got a lot of catching up to do. Maybe we could try to identify the 'Best of' cocktails, so we know which ones definately not to skip. Oh, and the Breast Caresser, by the way, would not be on the list.

[Vesper Lynd]

Boy, we're really cruising now!

I hope no one minds if I go back to re-try some of these great sounding cocktails!

←

Sounds good, it would be great to get a second opinion on some of the recipes we've tried

[eje]

Bosom Caresser Cocktail*

The Yolk of 1 Egg

1 Teaspoonful of Grenadine (uh, oops, I forgot the grenadine)

1/3 Curacao (3/4 oz Brizard Orange Curacao)

2/3 Brandy (1 1/2 oz Pierre Ferrand Ambre)

(dash Regan's orange bitters - eje)

Shake well and strain into medium size glass. (Squeeze Orange Peel on top. - eje)

*This might be called the "Bobby Jones" or the "Francis Ouimet" Cocktail, as these two gentleman, usually so chary of expressing preferences, distinctly expressed one for this concoction.

Bobby Jones and Francis Ouimet were well known American golfers. I can't tell if the quote above is some sort of swipe at them. Lady's Men? Golf balls are similar to egg yolks?

The cocktail is pretty tasty, in a rich, egg-ey, orange-ey, (phlegm inducing,) kind of way. I guess my missing the grenadine robbed me of a subtle pink hue. A float of grenadine (or pama) might be cool. I can't say I feel inspired to go back and try it again, though, at least tonight.

Edited February 25, 2007 by eje (log)

[David Santucci]

Brandy Gump

1 Hooker of Brandy (1 3/4 oz Rémy Martin VS)

The Juice of 1 Lemon (1/4 oz, strained)

2 Dashes Grenadine (1 tsp, homemade)

Shake well and strain into cocktail glass. (Garnish with a twist of lemon.)

This one was a long time coming. First there was the incident with using Middle Eastern Orange Flower Water in my homemade grenadine. Then I bought a bottle of Martell VS brandy, which was terrible. So, I got myself a decent mixing cognac, made a new batch of Grenadine (with just pomegranate juice and sugar), and got back on track.

If a hooker is really a small shot, then this drink would end up with almost as much lemon juice as Brandy. I tried it like that, and, predictably, it was awful. So I made it just like I would a Jack Rose. As long as the ratio of Cognac to sweet and sour was high enough, this was a very nice cocktail, and one worth considering some night you are craving a Sidecar and want to shake things up a bit (but not too much).