La Floridita, La Bodeguita del Medio, and Sloppy Joe’s Bar were the three most famous Havana watering holes during Prohibition. Sloppy Joe’s slogan at the time was “First port of call, out where the wet begins,” and Charles H. Baker Jr. clearly spent a fair amount of time there. “Let’s not sneer at the place … simply because it’s a raucous tourist dump. I have mentioned elsewhere, and still insist, that at least as many good drinks have been mixed on this plank of mahogany as on any equal area on earth, with the possible exception of the old Waldorf.”Put a teaspoon of sugar in a highball glass, squeeze in the juice of 1/2 small lime, and toss in the squeezed lime shell. Muddle for a moment with 3 sprigs fresh mint, add 1 jigger light rum and handful of fine ice, fill with chilled soda, and relax.
Aristocrat Sparkling Punch
FEBRUARY 1942
Starting in September 1941, Don Summers wrote a great four-part series called “Mixology Unmixed,” but this recipe comes from “Punch Is for Parties.” In it, he counsels: “Feature the unusual for zip and zing, and your artifice will be the talk of the social whirl. The use of special teas—even plain black tea, brewed double strength, or weak green tea—often adds a distinctive flavor to a punch, and then there is that old chef’s standby, a dash of vanilla.” The “Burgundy” Summers calls for would probably have been a California red, since French wine—already in short supply—would’ve been nonexistent in 1942. You can use any relatively light dry red wine.
Dissolve 1 cup cube sugar in 1 cup—from a quart—of sparkling water, and pour into a punch bowl. Add 1 bottle Burgundy and 4 ounces brandy, stirring well. Place a block of ice in the bowl, and pour in 2 bottles Champagne and the rest of the sparkling water. Garnish the top of the ice block with strawberries or raspberries, or other fruit in season, and float thin slices of 2 oranges on the punch.
JUNE 1945
The idea of making a frozen daiquiri without a blender is daunting. Happily most of us are among the fortunate who own one of those newfangled devices and can limit our arm workouts to the gym.
To 3 ounces good rum add 1 ounce lime juice, 1/2 teaspoon fine granulated sugar, and 3 drops—or more—white maraschino liqueur. Add 1 1/2 cups finely cracked ice, about the size of peas, but not snow ice, and shake. If you are fortunate enough to possess a Waring Blendor, use it instead of an overdose of elbow grease.
Blood 'N' Sand Cocktail
NOVEMBER 1947
Blood and Sand, the 1922 film starring Rudolf Valentino (billed in that one as “Rodolph”), is a classic silent-movie romance. Blood and Sand the cocktail is one of the few classic mixed drinks that includes Scotch. It’s not the easiest leading man to marry, but improbably its wife, sweet vermouth, and mistress, cherry brandy (Cherry Heering is probably the easiest to find; Cherry Marnier is also good in this recipe), get along really well. Modern tastes might prefer slightly less of each of the ladies (try an ounce each of blended Scotch and orange juice and 3/4 ounce each of cherry brandy and sweet vermouth).
Pour into a cocktail shaker 1 jigger each Scotch whisky, cherry brandy, sweet vermouth, and orange juice. Shake well with cracked ice and strain into cocktail glasses.
Peach in Champagne
JULY 1948
Dates for the origins of the Bellini (white-peach purée and Prosecco), said to be invented by Giuseppe Cipriani of Harry’s Bar in Venice, range from the late ’30s to 1948. If the latter is correct, and it’s what the Cipriani website says, could this be where the idea came from? Or is this yet another case of simultaneous discovery? You know, like Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace with evolution. And speaking of evolution, peaches are much larger now than they were 60 years ago. You can prepare this in a pitcher instead of a glass, although the bubbles will dissipate a bit more quickly.Place in a peach Champagne glass or oversized goblet a sound, ripe white-peach. With the tines of a silver fork perforate the skin of the peach all around. Fill the glass with ice-cold Champagne, start the punctured peach to spinning, and let the Champagne fizz for a minute before drinking. The peach should be good for half a dozen or more refills—oo-la-la!! A special dash may be added to this already fascinating drink with just that—a dash of peach brandy or Cognac.
Photos by Romulo Yanes
Thanks to Mini Boss for the tip
