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RECIPES: 1920s Cocktails, Part 1


The Gin Rickey. Photo courtesy Tanqueray
Gin.
  The latest version of “The Great Gatsby” opens in cinemas today, begging the question, what did Gatsby serve at those wild parties?

We know from the novel that Gatsby was a bootlegger. In the summer of 1922, when novel is set, Prohibition was two and a half years old. (Read this delightful article on Jay Gatsby by Kevin Roose, who explores how Gatsby made his money and whether author F. Scott Fitzgerald may have attributed more wealth to him than he could actually have had.)

Aside from the Gin Rickey, the novel doesn’t mention what else people were drinking at those weekend-long extravaganzas. But given the popular cocktails of the Prohibition Era, Tthe Martini and the French 75 most certainly would have been on the menu.

So get your cocktail shaker ready and mix up your own Jazz Age cocktail menu for Mother’s Day. This is Part 1; Part 2 presents two more 1920s cocktails, the South Side and the White Lady.

Below:

  • Gin Rickey
  • French 75
  •  
    These recipes are courtesy of Tanqueray Gin. Despite an abundance of bootleg liquor and “bathtub gin,” it’s rumored that the social set continued to enjoy top shelf imported gins like Tanqueray, delivered via cases that were unloaded offshore and floated to islands just off the U.S. coastline.

    GIN RICKEY RECIPE

    Why did the Gin Rickey alone get mentioned in “The Great Gatsby?” It is said to have been the preferred pour of F. Scott Fitzgerald. It’s a wonderful warm weather drink.

    Ingredients Per Drink

  • 1.25 ounces gin
  • 1 ounce fresh lime juice
  • 5 ounces soda water
  • Ice cubes
  • Lime wedge
  •  
    Preparation

    1. Build in a highball glass with ice. Stir and top with soda water.

    2. Garnish with a lime wedge.
     

     

    FRENCH 75 COCKTAIL RECIPE
     
    Made from gin, Champagne, lemon juice and sugar, the French 75 was created in 1915 by Harry MacElhone at the New York Bar in Paris (later called Harry’s New York Bar). It was said to have such a kick that it felt like being shelled with the powerful French 75mm field gun, also called a 75 Cocktail or a Soixante Quinze. The French 75 was popularized in America at New York City‘s famed Stork Club.
     
    Ingredients

  • 1.25 ounces gin
  • .5 ounce simple syrup
  • .5 ounce lemon juice
  • Champagne
  • Garnish: lemon peel
  •  
    Preparation

    1. Shake ingredients with ice in a cocktail shaker.

    2. Strain into a rocks glass and top with champagne. Garnish with a lemon peel curl.

     

    The French 75, a sparkler. Photo courtesy Tanqueray Gin.

     
    FIND MORE OF OUR FAVORITE COCKTAIL RECIPES.

      

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    TIP OF THE DAY: Adapting A Classic, Greek Nachos


    [1] The Greek cousin of nachos (photos #1 and #2 © Chobani Greek Yogurt).


    [2] A delight for feta fans.

    Ground Cumin & Whole Cumin
    [3] Ground cumin and whole cumin seeds (photo © Jiva Organics).

     

    Today’s tip looks at adapting popular recipes to other cultures.

    As an example, we’re giving Tex-Mex nachos a Greek makeover—a fresh spin on a party classic that uses feta and naan or pita crisps instead of Cheddar or Jack cheese and tortilla chips.

    It also adds some heartiness with ground lamb, as some Tex-Mex nachos add ground beef.

    This recipe, from Chobani Greek Yogurt, makes 6 servings. Enjoy it with beer, wine or iced mint tea.
     
     
    RECIPE: GREEK NACHOS

    Ingredients

    For The Yogurt Salsa

  • 1 cup plain 0% Greek yogurt
  • 3/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
  • 1/2 cucumber
  • 1/2 red onion
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
  • Sea salt to taste
  •  
    For The Nachos

  • Naan bread or pita
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 pound ground lamb (or veal, beef, turkey)
  • Fresh baby spinach leaves
  • Kalamata olives
  • Chopped tomatoes
  • Feta cheese
  • Italian herb seasoning* or oregano
  •  
    Preparation

    1. PREHEAT the oven to 400°F.

    2. BROWN the ground lamb in olive oil over medium heat until fully cooked; then drain the oil.

    3. RUB the naan bread with a small amount of olive oil, sprinkle with salt, cut into triangle wedges with pizza cutter, and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 5-10 minutes to the desired crispness.

     

    5. COMBINE the yogurt, cucumber, onion, feta cheese, salt, and cumin in a food processor; process to the desired smoothness. Add more onion, cucumber, and/or feta cheese as desired.

    6. ASSEMBLE the nachos by placing the triangle wedges of naan on a plate. Then top with the fresh spinach, then the ground lamb, yogurt salsa, olives, tomatoes and more feta cheese. Garnish with a sprinkle of Italian herb seasoning, as desired.

    Find more Chobani recipes at Chobani.com.
     
     
    > THE HISTORY OF NACHOS
     
    ________________

    *Italian Seasoning Recipe: If you don’t have an Italian seasoning blend, you can combine 1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano, 1 teaspoon dried marjoram, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1/2 teaspoon dried basil, 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary and 1/2 teaspoon dried sage. Keep in a tightly-closed jar. If you don’t have marjoram, use 2 teaspoons of oregano instead.
     
      

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    PRODUCT: House Of Cupcakes


    Both the chocolate cake and yellow cake
    are excellent. Photo by Elvira Kalviste | THE
    NIBBLE.
      Along with hoards of other New Yorkers, we go cupcake crazy. Every time a new cupcake shop opens, no matter how far away the neighborhood, we go running into the subway with great enthusiasm—usually because of a rave review from a person or publication.

    Most of the time we’re disappointed: The cupcakes taste like muffins, not cake; the chocolate cupcakes lack intensity of chocolate flavor; and the buttercream is too sugary. Let everyone else ooh and aah over such cupcakes: Our palate sets a higher bar.

    House Of Cupcakes, a winner of Food Network’s Cupcake Wars program, has just arrived in Manhattan’s West Village.* House of Cupcakes gets it right.

    Both chocolate and yellow cakes are excellent: light but full of flavor. The buttercream has just enough sugar, but not an overload. As a result, the cupcakes are spot-on and never cloying, despite the generous amount of frosting. There are also sugar-free and vegan cupcakes.

    *It’s locared at 101 Seventh Avenue South at Grove Street (Sheridan Square).

     

    House of Cupcakes makes more than 35 varieties of cupcakes, baked and decorated in-store daily. Mini-cupcakes, breakfast cakes, cookies, sugar cookies, push pops, cake pops and pull-apart sheet cakes (made from cupcakes) are also on the menu, along with custom and special occasion cakes (birthday, baby shower, etc.). A full line of hot and cold beverages is served.

    The original House Of Cupcakes opened in Princeton, New Jersey in 2008. The overwhelming success of the store caught the eye of the founder of Party City, who helped the one-shop business develop into multiple locations and franchising.

    He also cleverly snapped up licenses for Disney, Nickelodeon and Marvel characters, Barbie, Care Bears, Hot Wheels and professional sports teams including the New York Yankees, New York Mets, New York Giants, New York Jets and more in the works.

    The net result: a cake and cupcake with wares that satisfy. Handsome gift boxes in Tiffany blue make a gift of these cupcakes a royal experience.

     
    Every cupcake has festive decor. Photo by Elvira Kalviste | THE NIBBLE.
     

    For more information on House of Cupcakes, visit HouseOfCupcakes.com or become a Facebook fan.

    If you’d like your next career move to be a cupcake store, ask about a franchise and tell us when you open: We’ll be by for more cupcakes.
      

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