Since I have a bottle of sparkling wine in the fridge seductively whispering "drink me," I thought I would do a champagne-based cocktail this week. The "French 75" allegedly was created by in WWI by a pilot of French/American descent who thought just a glass of champagne wasn't quite potent enough (he clearly hasn't experienced the New Year's Eves that I have). The name comes from the fact that after you drink it, you feel like you had been hit by a French 75 millimeter howitzer artillery piece. Personally, I have not had that experience, but I usually stop with one. Another version of the origin of this cocktail is that a bartender from Harry's New York Bar in Paris invented the drink in 1915.
Although gin is usually thought to be the liquor that constitutes a true "French 75", purists say it's actually cognac or brandy. The first recorded recipe used gin, however.
This recipe is from Epicurious and uses gin:
- 1 lemon
- 3 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) gin
- 1 1/2 tablespoons (3/4 ounce) fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon (1/2 ounce) simple syrup1 cup ice cubes
- 1/4 cup (2 ounces) dry sparkling wine, such as brut Champagne, chilled
Preparation: Using zester or paring knife, slice peel from lemon in long, thin spiral. Reserve lemon for another use and set peel aside.
In cocktail shaker, combine gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup. Add ice and shake vigorously for 20 seconds. Strain into chilled Champagne flute and top with sparkling wine. (Some recipes call for a Collins glass but I say if you're drinking champagne, go with a flute glass)
Curl lemon peel around finger to create twist at least 6 inches long. Garnish drink with twist and serve immediately. Tip: This drink is best when very cold so chill the sparkling wine and glass prior to serving.
"Three be the things I shall never attain: Envy, content, and sufficient champagne." - Dorothy Parker
Cheers!
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