Monday was not a good day for the people of Paris. It really can’t be when history is literally going up in flames. For Parisians, Notre-Dame is more than just a cathedral. It performs its function as a house of worship quite well, but it serves as a monument to the city and to medieval architecture and craftsmanship.
Luck was definitely on the side of the cathedral. Thankfully, the damage was limited to the roof, and the spire. The three rose shaped stained glass windows, and many priceless relics were spared. Copper statues that were mounted on the spire had been removed for restoration only days before the accident. Although I’ve been to Notre-Dame before, I look forward to going back to Paris and visiting once the cathedral is re-opened.
Obviously, the fire did provide the inspiration for this week. I started researching French cocktails, and realized I had a classic cocktail in one of my cocktail books already. That would be the legendary French 75. This cocktail is named after a field artillery piece used by the French during the First World War. Invented at Harry’s New York Bar in Paris, the name comes from the gin/champagne combination. Supposedly the kick is so potent, it is comparable with being hit by an artillery shell.
For the recipe, we’re going back to the Please Don’t Tell Cocktail Book:
1 oz. Tanqueray gin
.5 oz Lemon juice
.5 oz Simple syrup
Shake with ice and strain into a chilled coupe. Top with 1 oz. Moet Champagne. Garnish with a lemon twist.
Having never been under fire, I can’t say for sure if this tastes like getting blasted with a field gun, but it is potent. It is also incredibly drinkable. The bubbles from the champagne are muted by the gin and the lemon juice, and the spicy tones of the gin are in turn softened by the syrup and the lemon. The end result is a citrus forward crisp sipping cocktail, suitable for the spring and summer months. Best enjoyed along the Seine.
À votre santé
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[…] prohibition era cocktail swaps the gin for bourbon, or in my case, rye. I’m intrigued because I like French 75s and want to see how adding whiskey in changes […]
I’ve been on a Tom Collins kick lately, which is sort of a cheaper (club soda instead of champagne) version of this.
I like these; easy on the syrup. It is like artillery; your brain gets demoralized and eventually just gives in to it.
This cocktail was one of the most ordered in Calgary last summer. Usually by a thin bitch with a lot of makeup and eyelashes you could land a helicopter on.
Why do I never see DUI checkpoints on Good Friday? It’s a holiday and tons of folks are drinking it up (sacramental wine, amirite?)
Driver: “I’m good, right? There’s a fish dinner I’ve gotta get to.”
Officer: [checks Breathalyzer reading] “Hold on a minute, fella. Looks like you’ve got a little too much blood of Christ in your system.”
Driver: [under his breath] “Fucking Jew.”
Officer: “What did you say?”
Driver: “Nothing.”
Officer: “Show me your license!”
Driver: [grudgingly produces paperwork]
Officer: “Ahhh, Mel Gibson! I thought you looked familiar!”
I am a simple man and I would like a Gibson martini right now.
/only 3 pickled onionettes please
I see connectivity between these two comments
I may need to revisit gin. I’ve always shied away from it as at some point in my life I drank it straight and didn’t like it.
Perhaps the key is to have it mixed in a cocktail?
The thought of drinking gin straight makes my stomach turn.
Oh yeah. You really want to gay it up for gin.
You are drinking the wrong gin.
The last time I drank gin was literally decades ago.
I am a gin fanatic, and I don’t think I ever even sipped it straight.
Martin Miller’s, Hendricks, and the Botanist are all sippable
You are obviously too much of a pussy to have lived in 18th century England.
The key is good gin and figure out what you like. And it’s not just dry vs botanical. Try Martin Miller’s, that’s my fave.
This right here. Low-end gin is several degrees lousier than low-end vodka, whiskey or rum. Never let that garbage slake your thirst.
I’ve always believed you can mask shit vodka. It is damn near impossible to mask shit gin.
I love gin.
everybody got they cups but they ain’t chipped in
this types of shit happens all the time
you gotta get yours, but fool I gotta get mine
Wut?
This sounds like a good birthday breakfast drink, but I got him at 1:45 am and left for work at 830, so that’s probably not happening.
Potent and you can down them quickly. That was always my theory for the name.
The French 75 was the fastest firing field artillery piece of its time, and packed a punch against troops out in the open.
You can’t be doing your punching out in the open. You gotta do it somewhere private, like in an elevator.
Janay is mixing you a cocktail as we speak — no need for fisticuffs just yet!
This would be a better drink if the gin were delivered to the glass via flying tanker.
That would collapse the flavors, you idiot*.
*Idiot part not said out loud, but very strongly implied.
The last time I was truly, truly pass out drunk (and not Brett Kavanaugh style “fell asleep” drunk) was courtesy of French 75’s.
$2 long islands here
Last night over here.
I like how much these drinky drinks feature gin.
But what exactly does this have to do with Christ killing ,, smh?
If Christ was killed by impalement what would the Catholics wear around their necks?
Something something your mom something something almost killed by impalement last night something something pearl necklace.
I just realized this could be a whole topic of conversation.
If Christ had died by hanging would more rednecks wear religious jewelry?
and say that kin mean twooooo things, Yankee (and/or nagger)
Martini Olive Swords