THE COCKTAIL ISSUE

THE MANHATTAN  ( Via Brooklyn )

Manhattan Cocktail with Cherries

James Aponovich

oil on panel, 5" x 5"

During the 1940's my mother lived for a while in New York City. Her favorite cocktail was, fittingly, the Manhattan, Rye Whiskey, Sweet Vermouth, Bitters and of course a cherry. It was and still is a noble drink, strong and balanced. When the war ended and she returned to New England to raise a family she softened quite a bit to the point where once a day she would drink something 

called a "Cape Codder"...hardly a cocktail. It reminds me of the Lobsterman, Dale from Bucks Harbor, Maine, dumping vodka into a Diet Pepsi and looking at me with a grin

 and saying, "My attitude adjuster, deah."

THE CULINARY ASPECTS OF THE COCKTAIL

"After you've made your Manhattan. add a cherry only if you're hungry."

                                          -Brad, Mixologist

"Come on , Brad!" I would bet that most of humanity, when they order a Manhattan and it comes without a cherry? Long faces and deep disappointment! But, really, what for? Most cherries you get are insipid, overly sweet, bland and cute! They are better served as a photo op on an ice cream sundae or in a painting ( like, above). But, there is the real deal out there and I came across it where else, Italy.

THE 'ORIGINAL'  MARASCHINO

That cute little red ball we know as a Maraschino cherry derives from a wild cherry called the Marasca. It grows on the Dalmatian Coast and the Veneto region of northern Italy. It is small, dark and a bit disagreeable but in the right hands it is cultivated into quite something.

Luxardo* Maraschino

* A raising of the glass to Frank W., of The Parker House, Boston.

The cherries are made into a clear liqueur normally sipped after dinner. The Italians also like to wash fresh strawberries with it. Whole cherries are immersed in Marasca syrup, tiny  but intense. This is the cherry for cocktails.

 SBAGLIATO 'BROOKLYN'

THE BROOKLYN MISTAKE

NO, I'm not talking about the Barclay Center, sbagliato is a difficult to pronounce word in Italian that means error............ I have to use it a lot.

As part of my research, I was reading Straight Up Or On The Rocks, The Story of the American Cocktail, by William Grimes, former restaurant critic for the New York Times. Much lore with a splash of confusion. His version of the Manhattan is a 3 to 1 mixture of Whiskey to Vermouth with a dash of bitters...cherry optional!

It was then I came across the Brooklyn cocktail, which includes a dash of Maraschino Liqueur, Yes!

I couldn't wait until 5:00 pm to arrive, however, in my haste and inattentiveness I misread the recipe. It calls for Dry(French) Vermouth , not Red (Italian) Vermouth. "Santo Cielo!" I had already poured red,so waste not, I made a 'Brooklynite' into a Manhattan with Maraschino, I know its a bit over the top but I'm sticking with it. Its a full figure Manhattan.

RECIPES

MANHATTAN ( William Grimes)

1 1/2 oz. Rye or Bourbon

1/4 oz. French (dry) vermouth

1/4 oz. Italian (sweet) Vermouth

1 dash Angostura Bitters

1 Maraschino Cherry (optional)

Shake in ice, pour

BROOKLYN ( Grimes)

2 oz. Rye or Bourbon

1 oz. French (dry) Vermouth

1 dash Angostura Bitters

1 dash Maraschino Liqueur

Shake in ice, pour (no cherry)

THE BROOKLYN SBAGLIATO  (Aponovich)

or if you can't pronounce that

THE 'PLUS SIZE' MANHATTAN

3 parts Bourbon ( I use Woodford Reserve)

1 part Italian (red) Vermouth (Punt e Mes)

1 dash Angostura  Bitters

More than a dash of Maraschino Liqueur (Luxardo)

2 Maraschino Cherries ( Luxardo)

Shake in ice, shake some more, pour

{week 27}

Copyright 2015 James Aponovich