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| A Bronx |
"Ever hear of a Bronx cocktail Al?"
"No. What's in it, Thunderbird and Kool Aid?".
Yeah I get to say such things as I used to live in that somewhat maligned borough of New York City, back when I was young, and though there are some very fine neighborhoods to be sure, my mind's eye raced right to one of the darker and seedy areas of the Bronx, Charlotte street. Thus, my somewhat witty and derogatory response to my well meaning friend. For when I was kicking about, you weren't going to be drinking anything grand down there, though you could have bought some nice crack, ahem, Jumbo to go with your bagged wine.
Of course I didn't frequent the area, my instincts of self preservation are just too strong, and stayed up in Kingsbridge where I belonged, yet the visual remains all the same. By the way, for all you sensitive sorts, the South Bronx is not what it used to be and all the towering abandoned buildings and trash filled vacant lots have been replaced with little ranch houses.
The Bronx cocktail is as far removed from dark alleys, winos, and crack dealers as one can get. As a matter of fact it was once called a rich man's drink and was associated with elegance and sophistication. An aperitif of refined taste for a discerning palate it was supposedly the favorite drink of author F. Scott Fitzgerald. Not that I care what he liked, the Great Gatsby, made me want to strangle the man, but I am quite sure another famous man, Arthur Flegenheimer a.k.a. Dutch Schultz partook of this wonderful concoction. If was good enough for the Dutchman hell it's good enough for the likes of me.
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| "Drink it or else"~ Dutch Schultz |
In the 1930's this little Martini spin off was ranked number three in the "World's 10 most popular drinks" following the Manhattan number two, and the Martini as number one. Yet it has all but disappeared from bar and restaurant menus today. Ask for a Bronx in a cocktail bar and you will most likely be given the dreaded "barman stink eye" as he looks you up and down in confusion. So it is we are relegated to making this wonderful classic at home, for the most part.
Ingredients:
2 ounces London Dry Gin
.5 ounces Sweet Vermouth
.5 ounces Dry Vermouth
1 ounce fresh squeezed Orange Juice
Orange twist for garnish
Method:
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, add gin, vermouth and orange juice. Shake vigorously and strain into a chilled cocktail or martini glass. Add an Orange twist for garnish (if you want to make the effort)
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| With a wee twist. |
The above recipe is the original as created around 1905. Some newer versions that I have heard about ask for orange, or just plain old bitters to be added. You can do that, but then the cocktail is no longer called a "Bronx" but an "Income Tax".
The Bronx is a sweet drink without the uninteresting and sickly stickiness of some of our more modern cocktails. The Gin's natural juniper flavors are not overpowered by the juice and vermouth, but rather complimented by them. I encourage you to give this old drink a try the next time you are looking for something classy, tasteful, and refreshing. Wow! I never thought I'd be using those words to describe the Bronx.
Cheers
AL
Many years ago, the first recipe I found for this wonderful drink called for equal parts gin, vermouth, and freshly-squeezed orange juice. I have seen it listed that way in other sources as well. This 1905 version sounds a bit 'easier' on today's palates, as vermouth is still much maligned. We also have some very good small-batch vermouth's out our way that are great all by themselves... =j
ReplyDeleteVermouth has been given a very bad rap of late. The supposed dry "Martini" of modern lounges consists of nothing but coating the glass with a bit of it then throwing the rest away. What you end up with is a glass of gin with an olive not a Martini. If used properly and in proportion to your base alcohol vermouth makes a cocktail stand out. What I like about this recipe is that it uses both sweet and dry as compliments to the gin. Another note if you chill your vermouth before using, i.e. keep it refrigerated I find people enjoy it better than if you serve it room temp and only chilled by shaking.
DeleteCheers
AL