I’m still working my way through the February 1951 Virginia Spectator, which has some interesting treasures beyond the Pogo-related content we wrote about yesterday. In particular, here’s a set of cocktail recommendations for Midwinters drinking, proving that straight bourbon and beer didn’t always prevail (though certainly “Mad Men” style sexism did).
In fact, as one might expect from the mid-century period, there’s no bourbon in any of these cocktails, or any dark liquor at all (aside from a little rum). None of these cocktails is fancy, but they’re mostly true to their models—with the possible exception of the fruit salad on the Zombie. Enjoy!
Martini
- 1 part French Vermouth
- 4 parts Dry Gin
Stir with cracked ice, strain and serve with stuffed olive.
Zombie:
- 3/4 oz lime juice
- 3/4 oz pineapple juice
- 1 tsp. syrup
- 1 oz white rum
- 1 oz gold rum
- 1 oz Jamaica rum
- 1/2 oz demerara rum
- 1/2 oz apricot liqueur
Shake violently, strain into 14 oz zombie glass, 1/4 filled with ice. Float splash of demerara on top. Spike 1 green cherry, 1 small pineapple stick, 1 red cherry on a toothpick, insert into drink, decorate with mint sprig, dust with powdered sugar.
Absinthe Drip
Pour a jigger of Absinthe into a drip glass, then place a cube of sugar over the drop hole in the upper section, pack with cracked ice, and pour cold water to fill the dripper. When all the water has dripped through you’re ready to deteriorate.
Daiquiri
- Juice 1/2 lime
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 oz rum
Shake well with cracked ice and strain.
Champagne Cocktail
- 1 cube sugar
- champagne
- 1 dash angostura bitters
Place sugar in glass and saturate with bitters. Pour chilled champagne over and serve without stirring.