The Classiest Classic Cocktails
We all love a good cocktail, whatever your spirit of choice there is a cocktail that makes it stylish, fashionable and utterly delicious.
I personally am a Gin drinker, ‘Mother’s Ruin’ apparently. Gin is having a revival as is the perfect Gin Martini. The Martini is by far one of the most popular cocktails to have stood the test of time, evolving into fancy versions with different ingredients predominantly Vodka based; Apple, peach, coffee, chocolate, etc. Some believe in 1862 it came from the Martinez Hotel in San Francisco.
Cocktails were originally a mixture of spirits, sugar, water, and bitters. The word has come to mean almost any mixed drink that contains alcohol. A cocktail today usually contains one or more kinds of spirit and one or more mixers, such as soda or fruit juice. Additional ingredients may be ice, sugar, honey, milk, cream, and various herbs.
The first “cocktail party” ever thrown was allegedly by Mrs. Julius S. Walsh Jr. of St. Louis, Missouri, in May 1917. Mrs. Walsh invited 50 guests to her home at noon on a Sunday. The party lasted an hour, until lunch was served at 1 pm. The site of this first cocktail party still stands. In 1924, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. Louis bought the Walsh mansion at 4510 Lindell Boulevard, and it has served as the local archbishop’s residence ever since.
So what makes a good cocktail? Mixologists from across the globe have competed and argued, developed and questioned. So for this cocktail feature, let’s look at the best classic cocktails, those that really stood the test of time.
Bloody Mary – a popular cocktail containing vodka, tomato juice, and usually other spices or flavorings such as Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, beef consomme or bouillon, horseradish, celery, olive, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, lemon juice, and celery salt. It has been called “the world’s most complex cocktail.
The Gin Martini – a cocktail made with gin and vermouth, and garnished with an olive or a lemon twist. It can be served Dirty, Dry, Sweet Shaken or Stirred. Over the years, the martini has become one of the best-known mixed alcoholic beverages. H. L. Mencken called the martini “the only American invention as perfect as the sonnet”and E.B. White called it “the elixir of quietude”.
Manhattan – a cocktail made with whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters. The cocktail is often stirred with ice and strained into a cocktail glass, where it is garnished with a Maraschino cherry with a stem.
Bellini – a long drink cocktail that originated in Venice. It is a mixture of sparkling wine (traditionally Prosecco) and peach pure?e often served at celebrations. It is one of Italy’s most popular cocktails. Served in a champagne Flute.
Old Fashioned – a type of cocktail made by muddling dissolved sugar with bitters then adding alcohol (such as jenever, whiskey or brandy) and a twist of citrus rind. The name references the combination’s age: it is possibly the first drink to be called a cocktail.
Cosmopolitan – a cocktail made with vodka, triple sec, cranberry juice, and freshly squeezed lime juice or sweetened lime juice. Informally, it is referred to as a Cosmo. The cosmopolitan gained popularity in the 1990s. It was further popularized among young women by its frequent mention on Sex and the City.
Rusty Nail – made by mixing Drambuie and Scotch Whisky. Many prefer less Drambuie to decrease the sweetness of the drink. Scotch Whisky has a fairly biting and hot taste that is counterbalanced by the honeyed, herbal overtones of the Drambuie. A Rusty Nail can be served in an old- fashioned glass on the rocks, neat, or “up” in a stemmed glass.
Long Island Iced Tea – The potent highball cocktail is made with, among other ingredients, vodka, gin, tequila, and rum. A popular version mixes equal parts vodka, gin, tequila, rum, and triple sec with 11?2 parts sour mix and a splash of cola. Most variants use equal parts of the main liquors but include a smaller amount of triple sec (or other orange-flavored liqueur). Close variants often replace the sour mix with lemon juice, replace the cola with actual iced tea, or add white cre?me de menthe; however, most variants do not include any tea, despite the name of the drink.
