The Cocktail Thread
Jun 6, 2007, 9:35 am
#46
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There was an article in my local paper today on stocking your bar for summer. I could tell by the prices that it wasn't written locally (I think it came from the Tribune News Service). Anyway, one of the items on the list was used in a drink called a Monkey Gland 
and nothing else. Do I need to be prepared for everyone ordering one at my next cookout?
and nothing else. Do I need to be prepared for everyone ordering one at my next cookout?
Jun 6, 2007, 9:44 am
#47
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The Monkey Gland Cocktail was detailed in "The Savoy Cocktail Book" (1930) compiled by Harry Craddock, an American bartender who plied his trade at London's Savoy Hotel while the United States was enduring Prohibition. The original recipe calls for absinthe, an anise-flavored spirit illegal here since 1912. These days sweeter substitutes for absinthe, notably Absente, Herbsaint or Pernod, are used in recipes calling for this spirit. The cocktail's name stems from a late-19th century practice of transplanting ape testicles into elderly men to renew their sex drive. Russian surgeon Serge Voronoff eventually performed more than 1,000 such procedures at $5,000 each.
When the Monkey Gland was introduced to America in a 1934 book, "The Official Mixer's Manual," by New York bartender Patrick Gavin Duffy, Duffy inexplicably chose Benedictine, a honeyed herbal liqueur said to have been developed in 1510 by the Benedictine monk Dom Bernardo Vincelli, to use as an accent in the drink instead of absinthe. This resulted in two versions of the cocktail, both with merit but very different from each other, becoming recognized as being authentic. Thus, the English Monkey Gland takes an absinthe substitute, and the American version calls for Benedictine.
When the Monkey Gland was introduced to America in a 1934 book, "The Official Mixer's Manual," by New York bartender Patrick Gavin Duffy, Duffy inexplicably chose Benedictine, a honeyed herbal liqueur said to have been developed in 1510 by the Benedictine monk Dom Bernardo Vincelli, to use as an accent in the drink instead of absinthe. This resulted in two versions of the cocktail, both with merit but very different from each other, becoming recognized as being authentic. Thus, the English Monkey Gland takes an absinthe substitute, and the American version calls for Benedictine.
Monkey Gland Cocktail
INGREDIENTS:
2 ounces gin
1 ounce fresh orange juice
1 splash Benedictine, Absente or Pernod
1 splash grenadine
INSTRUCTIONS:
Fill a cocktail shaker two-thirds full of ice and add all of the ingredients. Shake for approximately 15 seconds and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
Jun 6, 2007, 9:54 am
#48
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I call this theblakefish:
1) 1 lowball glass
2) fill with ice
3) 3 jiggers of premium bourbon, preferable Maker's Mark, Buffalo Trace, etc.
4) fill the small remainder of the glass with Coca-Colafor sweetness
HA!
My favorite!!
1) 1 lowball glass
2) fill with ice
3) 3 jiggers of premium bourbon, preferable Maker's Mark, Buffalo Trace, etc.
4) fill the small remainder of the glass with Coca-Colafor sweetness
HA!
My favorite!!
Jun 6, 2007, 10:06 am
#49
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Hahahaha!!! OK, I couldn't resist - I looked it up. It doesn't sound that bad, it just has a rather stupid name, and a bit of an odd history: The cocktail's name stems from a late-19th century practice of transplanting ape testicles into elderly men to renew their sex drive
Jun 6, 2007, 3:40 pm
#50
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Then drink.
Jun 7, 2007, 1:46 pm
#51
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Blue Martini Popsicles
1.5 cups water
1/4 cup sugar (or a bit less if you prefer less sweetness)
fresh lemon zest strips (from approx 1/2 lemon)
Simmer these together to dissolve sugar, and then cool.
3 - 6 tablespoons gin (Tanqueray is a good choice)
2 tablespoons vermouth (or to taste)
1 - 2 tablespoons blue Curaçao
Stir these into the cooled syrup and discard the zest. Pour into popsicle molds and freeze at least overnight.
Should be a very pretty shade of blue!
I'm not sure how well these will freeze if you use the max alcohol. I'll have to try it and see!
Jun 7, 2007, 2:11 pm
#52
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Thank you very much, Abby.
My own recipe...I'm certainly impressed.
My favorite gins have changed a bit over the years as my palate sharpened and my wallet expanded.
In my younger martini days, it was Seagram's Gin.
I later graduated to Tanqueray and Beefeater which I consider relatively equal in flavor.
But I do favor Beefeater somewhat, all things being equal.
I do like Bombay Sapphire but am not a fan of regular Bombay gin.
My favorite gin is Tanqueray 10 but it's only available in fifths, it's VERY pricey and I keep it for a special occasion.
Beefeater has recently introduced an ultra-premium brand called Beefeater Wet. It's priced in the same league as Tanqueray 10 but, bizarrely, it is infused with a pear flavor.
I recently tried a French gin called Citadelle which is infused with 19 botanicals but I was not overly impressed.
And maybe that's because I can't believe that France can make a decent gin.
Or Holland either.
England pretty much controls the premium gin production IMHO.
My own recipe...I'm certainly impressed.
My favorite gins have changed a bit over the years as my palate sharpened and my wallet expanded.
In my younger martini days, it was Seagram's Gin.
I later graduated to Tanqueray and Beefeater which I consider relatively equal in flavor.
But I do favor Beefeater somewhat, all things being equal.
I do like Bombay Sapphire but am not a fan of regular Bombay gin.
My favorite gin is Tanqueray 10 but it's only available in fifths, it's VERY pricey and I keep it for a special occasion.
Beefeater has recently introduced an ultra-premium brand called Beefeater Wet. It's priced in the same league as Tanqueray 10 but, bizarrely, it is infused with a pear flavor.
I recently tried a French gin called Citadelle which is infused with 19 botanicals but I was not overly impressed.
And maybe that's because I can't believe that France can make a decent gin.
Or Holland either.
England pretty much controls the premium gin production IMHO.
Jun 7, 2007, 5:40 pm
#53
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Posts: 5,159
Thank you very much, Abby.
My own recipe...I'm certainly impressed.
My favorite gins have changed a bit over the years as my palate sharpened and my wallet expanded.
In my younger martini days, it was Seagram's Gin.
I later graduated to Tanqueray and Beefeater which I consider relatively equal in flavor.
But I do favor Beefeater somewhat, all things being equal.
I do like Bombay Sapphire but am not a fan of regular Bombay gin.
My favorite gin is Tanqueray 10 but it's only available in fifths, it's VERY pricey and I keep it for a special occasion.
Beefeater has recently introduced an ultra-premium brand called Beefeater Wet. It's priced in the same league as Tanqueray 10 but, bizarrely, it is infused with a pear flavor.
I recently tried a French gin called Citadelle which is infused with 19 botanicals but I was not overly impressed.
And maybe that's because I can't believe that France can make a decent gin.
Or Holland either.
England pretty much controls the premium gin production IMHO.
My own recipe...I'm certainly impressed.
My favorite gins have changed a bit over the years as my palate sharpened and my wallet expanded.
In my younger martini days, it was Seagram's Gin.
I later graduated to Tanqueray and Beefeater which I consider relatively equal in flavor.
But I do favor Beefeater somewhat, all things being equal.
I do like Bombay Sapphire but am not a fan of regular Bombay gin.
My favorite gin is Tanqueray 10 but it's only available in fifths, it's VERY pricey and I keep it for a special occasion.
Beefeater has recently introduced an ultra-premium brand called Beefeater Wet. It's priced in the same league as Tanqueray 10 but, bizarrely, it is infused with a pear flavor.
I recently tried a French gin called Citadelle which is infused with 19 botanicals but I was not overly impressed.
And maybe that's because I can't believe that France can make a decent gin.
Or Holland either.
England pretty much controls the premium gin production IMHO.
However, I also share a fondness for Cork Dry Gin which is a regular on the Aer Lingus LHR-DUB route.
Jun 8, 2007, 1:54 pm
#54
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I should stop with these alcoholic popsicles, but this one would be such a lovely green colour - I might have to run out and buy some Midori.
Melony Popsicles
4 cups diced peeled honeydew melon
3 tbsps vodka
5 tbsp Midori (melon liqueur)
1 to 2 tbsps superfine sugar
Blend everything together. If you wish a clearer liquid, strain by allowing to drain through a sieve and/or cheesecloth. (You may wish to blend and strain just the melon, and then add the liquors and sugar.) Discard the solids and freeze in popsicle molds.
Melony Popsicles
4 cups diced peeled honeydew melon
3 tbsps vodka
5 tbsp Midori (melon liqueur)
1 to 2 tbsps superfine sugar
Blend everything together. If you wish a clearer liquid, strain by allowing to drain through a sieve and/or cheesecloth. (You may wish to blend and strain just the melon, and then add the liquors and sugar.) Discard the solids and freeze in popsicle molds.
Jun 8, 2007, 4:02 pm
#55
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Get a large water melon.
Stick in the end of a small funnel at the top of the melon
Every 6-12 hours top up the funnel with some vodka (be as patient as possible, the longer this stage takes the better the melon will taste)
Eventually the watermelon becomes saturated with vodka and you just slice and serve. (You can macerate some basil in the vodka and perhaps dissolve a little bit of sugar syrup too for a more 'cocktail' like experience.)
When I was younger I sometimes used to smuggle alcohol into music festivals by performing a similar operation using hypodermic needles and citrus fruit.
Jun 8, 2007, 4:36 pm
#56
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Reminds me of the time on an Iranair flight from LHR - JFK,
Faced with crossing the Atlantic without booze for the first time as this was a dry flight I resorted to the old trick of emptying out a litre water bottle and fill to brim with vodka.
The flight was fairly empty ( funnily enough it was during the time when Iraq invaded Iran ) but one of the stewards got suspicious when I called for my fifth OJ.
However,when I poured him a large screwdriver he sat down and we had a great old time crossing the pond.
Happy days.
Faced with crossing the Atlantic without booze for the first time as this was a dry flight I resorted to the old trick of emptying out a litre water bottle and fill to brim with vodka.
The flight was fairly empty ( funnily enough it was during the time when Iraq invaded Iran ) but one of the stewards got suspicious when I called for my fifth OJ.
However,when I poured him a large screwdriver he sat down and we had a great old time crossing the pond.
Happy days.
Jun 8, 2007, 9:29 pm
#57
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: An island in the Pacific
Posts: 2,651
Faced with crossing the Atlantic without booze for the first time as this was a dry flight I resorted to the old trick of emptying out a litre water bottle and fill to brim with vodka.
The flight was fairly empty ( funnily enough it was during the time when Iraq invaded Iran ) but one of the stewards got suspicious when I called for my fifth OJ.
However,when I poured him a large screwdriver he sat down and we had a great old time crossing the pond.
Happy days.
The flight was fairly empty ( funnily enough it was during the time when Iraq invaded Iran ) but one of the stewards got suspicious when I called for my fifth OJ.
However,when I poured him a large screwdriver he sat down and we had a great old time crossing the pond.
Happy days.
I'm making the Tequila Sunset pops tonight. Pics tomorrow, if they turn out OK.
Jun 9, 2007, 12:12 pm
#58
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Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: An island in the Pacific
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Mmmm, they are looking pretty good after a night in the freezer. Too early in the day to actually eat one, though.
http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u...o/IMGP3908.jpg
From this recipe. I used quite a bit of tequila in them. Recipe made 8 popsicles in my mold.
Jun 12, 2007, 2:12 pm
#59
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Location: An island in the Pacific
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Normally, apricot brandy doesn't really appeal to me, but it sounds good in this one:
Golden Apricot Sour
1 tsp. superfine sugar
1 oz. lemon juice, freshly squeezed
2 oz. apricot brandy
1 oz. apricot juice (fresh?)
Mix sugar and lemon juice until sugar dissolves.
Combine ingredients with ice cubes in a cocktail shaker.
Shake, strain into a sour or pony glass.
Garnish with a slice of apricot (run the used lemon piece over the apricot to keep its colour) and a maraschino cherry.
Golden Apricot Sour
1 tsp. superfine sugar
1 oz. lemon juice, freshly squeezed
2 oz. apricot brandy
1 oz. apricot juice (fresh?)
Mix sugar and lemon juice until sugar dissolves.
Combine ingredients with ice cubes in a cocktail shaker.
Shake, strain into a sour or pony glass.
Garnish with a slice of apricot (run the used lemon piece over the apricot to keep its colour) and a maraschino cherry.