Old Cuban – Recipe & History

Old Cuban
Advertisements

Old Cuban

0 from 0 votes Only logged in users can rate recipes
Course: DrinksCuisine: American
Servings

1

servings
Calories

150

kcal
Total time

3

minutes

Learn how to make an old cuban.

Ingredients

  • 2 dashes Angostura Bitters

  • 6 whole Mint Leaves

  • 2/3 oz Lime Juice

  • 1 oz Simple Syrup

  • 1.5 oz Anejo Rum

  • 2 oz Sparkling Wine

Directions

  • Technique: Saxe Soda Shake
  • Combine all ingredients into a cocktail shaker except for the sparkling wine.
  • Add one medium or two small ice cubes to the cocktail shaker and shake until the ice fully melts.
  • Pour the chilled and aerated drink into a glass through a fine mesh strainer to catch the mint leaves.
  • Top with sparkling wine.
  • Garnish:
  • Mint bouquet

Featured Video

History Of The Old Cuban

The Old Cuban was created by Audrey Saunders in 2001, while working at a New York restaurant called the Beacon. The Old Cuban cocktail is a cross between a French 75 and a Mojito. The strong mint and aged rum are balanced by the light effervesce of the sparkling wine and presented as a fancy sour. An absolutely wonderful cocktail and one you should try.

Recipe Resources

Related Articles

Advertisements
Advertisements

Discover More Classics

Advertisements

Buck’s Fizz Recipe – Mimosa Vs. Buck’s Fizz

Bucks Fizz
Advertisements

Buck’s Fizz

0 from 0 votes Only logged in users can rate recipes
Course: DrinksCuisine: British
Servings

1

servings
Calories

165

kcal
ABV

7%

Total time

3

minutes

Learn how to make the Buck’s Fizz.

Ingredients

  • 1 oz Orange Juice

  • 2 oz Sparkling Wine

Directions

  • Technique: Build In Glass
  • Add orange juice to a glass.
  • Gently pour the sparkling wine into the glass. Building in this order ensures a better mix.

Featured Video

The History Of The Buck’s Fizz.

The Buck’s Fizz was invented at the Buck Club in 1921 in London by Barman Malachy McGarry. The earliest printed recipe for Buck’s Fizz I can find is from the 1937 Cafe Royal Cocktail Book. While the mimosa was invented in 1925 as a less boozy variation of The buck’s fizz, the buck’s fizz remained more widespread until the 1960s.

So how did the Buck’s Fizz fade from memory and the Mimosa become universally known? Hollywood, of course. Alfred Hitchcock’s favorite cocktail was the Mimosa. In a 1966 interview for the London Express, the author noted he met Alfred Hitchcock “In fine form, drinking mimosas and smoking an eight-inch cigar.” Other celebrities followed suit, and in no time, the Mimosa became the Cosmopolitan of the late 1960s.

What Is The Difference Between A Buck’s Fizz And A Mimosa?

The difference between the buck’s fizz and the mimosa is just the ratio of orange juice to sparkling wine. The buck fizz is 2:1 sparkling wine to orange juice, and the mimosa is 1:1 sparkling wine to orange juice. That’s all. I rarely ever see anyone make a 1:1 mimosa. The buck’s fizz ratio of 2:1 is preferred, but the name mimosa is so ubiquitous that the cocktail is always called a mimosa regardless of the proportions.

The History Of Buck’s Club London

The Buck Club was founded in 1919 by Herbert Buckmaster of the Royal Horse Guard. Herbert Buckmaster intended Buck’s Club to be an upper-class club with less of the stuffiness of other elite London clubs. One of Buckmaster’s requirements for the club was it should have an American-style bar. Not uncommon in hotels that served guests from overseas, but the idea of an American Bar in a prestigious invite-only boys club was unheard of. Buckmaster hired Pat MacGarry to head his American Bar. MacGarry never published his own cocktail book, but he is credited with having invented the Buck’s Fizz and the side-car. To this day, Buck’s Club is still an all-boys, invitation-only club.

Recipe Resources

Related Articles

Advertisements
Advertisements

Discover More Classics

Advertisements

Champagne Cocktail – Classic Recipe & History

Champagne Cocktail
Advertisements
Quick Step-By-Step Champagne Cocktail Recipe Video

Champagne Cocktail

0 from 0 votes Only logged in users can rate recipes
Course: DrinksCuisine: American
Servings

1

servings
Calories

334

kcal
ABV

10%

Total time

3

minutes

Learn how to make a Champagne Cocktail.

Ingredients

  • 5 oz Sparkling Wine

  • 1 Sugar Cube

  • 2 dashes Angostura Bitters

Directions

  • Technique: Build In Glass
  • Dash the sugar cube with angostura bitters and place it into a champagne glass.
  • Pour sparkling wine into a champagne flute.
  • Garnish:
  • Lemon peel.

Recipe Video

Notes

The History Of The Champagne Cocktail.

Cocktails are very much an American thing as a cocktail like this would never exist in France or Italy. They would be arrested if someone added a raw sugar cube, bitters, and a lemon peel to champagne. On a side note, the British are big into cocktails and have made an equal contribution to the field, but they were introduced to making them by Americans. William Tarling, one of the first presidents of the UKBG back in the 1930s, cites Jerry Thomas as having introduced the British to American saloon-style drinks with his 1859 UK cocktail exhibit. William Tarling wrote that Jerry Thomas used solid silver tools valued at 1000 pounds in 1850 or a little over 100,000 today, but back to my point.

The champagne cocktail was most likely invented by Jerry Thomas and is used as a way to add a bit extra presentation to champagne for toasting. The bitters provide a nice earthy and herbal element to the cocktail, but the sugar cube doesn’t add much sweetness. The most significant contribution of the sugar cube is to give the carbonation in the Champagne a surface to atomize onto and make the drink an overwhelming display of carbonation. Like dropping a Mentos into a bottle of coke. Flavor-wise the lemon peel adds a nice lemon flavor, and if you express it over the top, it coats the top of the glass with a beautiful lemon smell and taste. If you’re looking for a simple way to elevate your presentation during a toast, the champagne cocktail is a fun one to try.

Recipe Resources

Related Articles

Advertisements
Advertisements

Discover More Classics

Advertisements

Mimosa – Original Recipe & History

Mimosa
Advertisements

Mimosa

0 from 0 votes Only logged in users can rate recipes
Course: DrinksCuisine: French
Servings

1

servings
Calories

248

kcal
ABV

5%

Total time

3

minutes

Learn how to make the a classic Mimosa.

Ingredients

  • 2.5 oz Orange Juice

  • 2.5 oz Sparkling Wine

Directions

  • Technique: Build In Glass
  • Pour orange juice into a champagne glass.
  • Gently pour the sparkling wine into the glass. Building in this order ensures a better mix.

Notes

Featured Video

The History Of The Mimosa.

The story goes that this was invented in 1925 by Frank Meier at the Ritz Hotel in Paris. The oldest printed recipe from a book that I could find for the mimosa is Frank Meier’s own 1936 book “The Artistry of Mixing Drinks.” There he refers to it as a Mimosa or a Champagne Orange. The 1936 recipe is equal parts orange juice and Champagne and no different than how they are made today.

The Mimosa is a variation of another cocktail called the Buck’s Fizz. A Buck’s Fizz is two parts champagne with 1 part orange juice, which are the proportions most prefer. The Buck’s Fizz was invented at the Buck Club in 1921 in London by Barman Malachy McGarry. The earliest printed recipe for Buck’s Fizz I can find is from the 1937 Cafe Royal Cocktail Book. In fact, it’s hard to find the mimosa recipe in any cocktail book printed before the 1970s. Outside of Frank Meiers own book, I only found it in one other book. I also found it in the 1948 book “The Fine Art of Mixing” by David Embury. He states the mimosa is also called a Bismark, but I could not find anyone else calling it that. But on the other hand, I found a few books referencing a Buck’s Fizz until the 1970s.

So how did the Buck’s Fizz fade from memory and the Mimosa become universally known? Hollywood, of course. Alfred Hitchcock’s favorite cocktail was the Mimosa. In a 1966 interview for the London Express, the author noted he met Alfred Hitchcock “In fine form, drinking mimosas and smoking an eight-inch cigar.” Other celebrities followed suit, and in no time, the Mimosa became the Cosmopolitan of the late 1960s.

Recipe Resources

Related Articles

Advertisements
Advertisements

Discover More Classics

Advertisements

Bellini – Original Recipe & History

Bellini
Advertisements

Bellini

0 from 0 votes Only logged in users can rate recipes
Course: DrinksCuisine: Italian
Servings

1

servings
Calories

300

kcal
ABV

17%

Total time

3

minutes

Learn how to make the a classic Bellini.

Ingredients

  • 2 oz Peach Juice

  • 4 oz Sparkling Wine

Directions

  • Technique: Build In Glass
  • Pour peach juice into a champagne glass.
  • Gently pour the sparkling wine into the glass. Building in this order ensures a better mix.

Notes

Featured Video

What Is The History Of The Bellini?

The Bellini was invented during World War 2 in Venice, Italy, by Guiseppe Cipriani. The Bellini is named after Giovanni Bellini, a famous Venetian Renaissance painter with well-known work in Venice, where the cocktail was invented.

What Is The Difference Between The Mimosa And The Bellini?

The Mimosa was invented in 1925 at the Ritz Hotel in Paris, France, by Frank Meier. Even though the Bellini was created 15 years after the mimosa, it is unclear if the Mimosa inspired this Italian cocktail. They are very similar cocktails, but the peach juice and orange juice give each cocktail very different flavors. A Mimosa is more acidic and fresh tasting with a drier, thinner body, while the Bellini is sweeter with a slightly thicker nectar taste and fuller body mouth feel. This is not a fair comparison, but I would liken it to comparing a white to red wine. White is like the Mimosa, and red is like the Bellini.

The Bellini is a beautiful sparkling wine cocktail and perfect for brunch. Unlike the mimosa, though, I feel the Bellini also works well for an evening cocktail. It’s thicker, more nectar-like taste and mouthfeel lends itself well to a nice before or after-dinner drink. If you have only had a Bellini for brunch, try making one in the evening and see how versatile this cocktail can be.

Related Articles

Advertisements
Advertisements

Discover More Classics

Advertisements

Kir Royale – Classic Recipe & History

Kir Royale
Advertisements

Kir Royale

0 from 0 votes Only logged in users can rate recipes
Course: DrinksCuisine: French
Servings

1

servings
Calories

251

kcal
ABV

12%

Total time

3

minutes

Learn how to make the a classic Kir Royale.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 oz Black Currant Liqueur

  • 3 oz Sparkling Wine

Directions

  • Technique: Build In Glass
  • Pour black currant liqueur into a champagne glass.
  • ently pour the sparkling wine into the glass. Building in this order ensures a better mix.

Notes

Featured Video

The History Of The Kir Royale.

The Kir and Kir Royale are named after the Catholic priest Félix Kir, a Nazi resistance fighter in the Dijon region during WWII. Félix Kir is credited with helping around 5,000 POWs escape during the war. After the war ended, he was elected mayor of Dijon, where he stayed for 23 years till his death in 1968.

Unable to get red wine from neighboring regions of France, Felix combined the two regional beverages of Creme de Cassis and a dry, acidic white wine made from the Aligoté grape to create the Kir. I think the proportions I have provided are spot on, but the goal of adding the Creme de Cassis is to take the dry acid edge off the white wine and give it an air of red wine. You’re looking to make white wine with a mild currant flavor and not a sweet cocktail. I recommend using as dry of wine as possible because the creme de cassis is already really sweet, and if you start with sweet wine, then it’s just a bit too much, and you lose the other flavors. The dryer the wine, the better.

The fancy version of the Kir, the Kir Royale is a beautiful and fruity champagne cocktail. I recommend using as dry of champagne as possible because the creme de cassis is already really sweet, and if you start with sweet champagne, then it’s just a bit too much, and you lose the other flavors. The dryer the wine, the better.

What Is The Difference Between The Kir And The Kir Royale?

The Kir is made with still white wine, while the Kir Royale is made with sparkling white wine. It is a French cocktail, so there is an assumption Champagne will be used, but any white sparkling wine will do. The Kir Royale has more of a celebration feel to it white the regular Kir is more of an everyday drink.

Related Articles

Advertisements
Advertisements

Discover More Classics

Advertisements

Aperol Spritz – Classic Recipe & History

Aperol Spritz
Advertisements

Aperol Spritz

0 from 0 votes Only logged in users can rate recipes
Course: DrinksCuisine: Italian
Servings

1

servings
Calories

267

kcal
ABV

8%

Total time

3

minutes

Learn how to make a classic Spritz.

Ingredients

  • 2 oz Aperol

  • 1 oz Soda Water

  • 3 oz Sparkling Wine

Directions

  • Technique: Simple Combine
  • Add ice to a glass.
  • Simply combine the ingredients and stir to combine and cool the drink.
  • Garnish:
  • Orange slice

Notes

Featured Video

What Does The Aperol Spritz Taste Like?

The Aperol Spritz is a wonderfully refreshing and flavorful drink. The mild herbal and medicinal flavors of the Aperol blend wonderfully with the prosecco, and the soda water cuts the strength just enough not to make the drink feel boozy.

History Of The Spritz.

The Spritz originated in the Veneto region of Italy in the mid-19th century. After the Napoleonic Wars (1803 to 1815), the Veneto region was annexed by the Austrian Empire, which it stayed with till it joined the Kingdom of Italy in 1866. During the annexation, Austrian soldiers occupied the region and found the local wine too alcohol for their liking. The soldiers would add a splash of water to bring the ABV down to levels more similar to beer. Wine served this way was referred to as a spritz, the german word for a splash. Eventually, wines would be spritzed with soda water and even Prosecco. The spritz cocktail structure is always:

  • 2 oz (60 mLs) wine or apperitif
  • 1 oz (30 mLs) soda water
  • 3 oz (90 mls) prosecco

As you can see, there can be many different kinds of spritz cocktails. Any wine or aperitif can be used as the base. When ordering in English, the base is mentioned before the word spritz. A spritz with Aperol is an Aperol Spritz, or one with Cynar is Cynar Spritz, Campari Spritz, Pinot Grigio Spritz, Chardonnay Spritz, etc. If ordering in Italy, reverse it and say the base after the word spritz.

Related Articles

Advertisements
Advertisements

Discover More Classics

Advertisements

French 75 – Original Recipe & History

French 75 Cocktail
Advertisements
Quick Step-By-Step French 75 Recipe Video

French 75

0 from 0 votes Only logged in users can rate recipes
Course: DrinksCuisine: French
Servings

1

servings
Calories

609

kcal
ABV

15%

Total time

3

minutes

Learn how to make the French 75.

Ingredients

  • 1 oz Lemon Juice

  • 1/2 oz Simple Syrup

  • 2 oz Dry Gin

  • 5 oz Sparkling Wine

Directions

  • Technique: Saxe Soda Shake
  • Combine all ingredients into a cocktail shaker except for the sparkling wine.
  • Add one medium or two small ice cubes to the cocktail shaker and shake until the ice fully melts.
  • Without a strainer, pour the chilled and aerated drink into a glass.
  • Top with sparkling wine.

Recipe Video

Notes

The History Of The French 75

The French 75 cocktail was named after the WWI French 75mm light field canon. The earliest reference to the French 75 is a cocktail called the “75” in Harry MacElhone’s 1923 book “Harry of Ciro,” but that was completely different than what we typically consider a French 75 today. Mac Elhones’ recipe contained 2 oz apple brandy, 1 oz dry gin, 1 tsp grenadine, and two dashes absinthe. MacElhone states that this cocktail was very popular in France during the Great War (WWI) and was named after the French 75mm canon. So this is the same cocktail, just a different recipe. I believe this is the original French recipe for the French 75. MacElhone mentioned other french cocktails before they became popular, and grenadine was amazingly popular in France during this time. Grenadine became popular in France during the mid-1890s and stayed that way. The recipe looks like a cocktail that would be popular in 1910s France. This is the only time this recipe appears, and it is not the canon recipe used from the 1930s on.

The first publication of the French 75 cocktail we commonly see today comes from a 1926 UK periodical called “The Judge.” In volume 90 of the Judge. The recipe in The Judge is exactly the French 75 recipe used today, but oddly the article writer says the cocktail comes from “somewhere east of the Suez” the Suez is in eastern Egypt, and I don’t believe for one second this cocktail came from the Middle East. It’s not uncommon for some cocktails to get exotic origin stories to make them sound more interesting. Cocktail origins often get simplified when people don’t know to “oh, the margarita was made for a girl named Margarita” or “Oh, the Negroni was made by a man named Mr. Negroni.” if you are curious about the most likely origins of the Margarita or Negroni check out my articles on them.

The oldest cocktail book to publish the current French 75 recipe was the 1928 book “Here’s How!” by Judge Jr. His recipe is the same as “The Judge” periodicals recipe. Both of these recipes call for the drink to be served in a tall highball glass with cracked ice, but it is more common to see it served today in a Champagne flute without ice.

What Does The French 75 Taste Like?

The French 75 is both a strong and an easy-to-sip cocktail. The French 75 has an ABV of around 15% and is a boozier version of the John Collins. That’s also a good way to describe it. It tastes like a slightly sweeter and boozier John Collins. These come up on you fast too. A few of these, and you’re done for.

Recipe Resources

Related Articles

Advertisements
Advertisements

Discover More Classics

Advertisements

Black Velvet – Classic Recipe & History

Black Velvet Cocktail
Advertisements

Black Velvet

3 from 1 vote Only logged in users can rate recipes
Course: DrinksCuisine: American
Servings

1

servings
Calories

235

kcal
ABV

7%

Total time

3

minutes

Learn how to make the classic Black Velvet cocktail.

Ingredients

  • 3 oz Guinness

  • 3 oz Sparkling Wine

Directions

  • Technique: Simple Combine
  • Simply combine the ingredients together.
  • This works best if the ingredients are pre-chilled.

Notes

Featured Video

The History Of The Black Velvet.

The Black Velvet was invented in 1861 to mourn the death of Queen Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert. The black color symbolizes grieving for the dead and Champagne because he was the queen’s husband damnit. Queen Victoria was so heartbroken by his death that she only wore black for the rest of her life from that point on.

What Does The Black Velvet Taste Like?

Oddly this is a delicious drink. Combining a dark ale and sparkling wine is not something I would think of but the two blend so well. Personally, I only really like brut and extra brut sparkling wine, but a Sec is perfect for this cocktail. It ends up tasting almost like a Cola but much better. Brut is good too, but the slight extra sweetness of the sec is nice. But that’s just me. I know others who like the drier taste of the brut better.

Related Articles

Advertisements
Advertisements

Discover More Classics

Advertisements