El Presidente

Photo: T.J. McLachlan

The history of individual cocktails during the prohibition era can be quite hazy. Case in point - our third drink being profiled: El Presidente.

During the Great Experiment, American bartenders left the United States to tend bars overseas in exotic countries that were warm and open to alcohol. One of those countries was Cuba where bartenders (whether they were American or Cuban) invented several classic cocktails to assauge the tastes of American tourists. It was at this time that we received the Mary Pickford, the Rosita (for a great glimpse of what the Rosita looks like, check out Andrew's facebook profile), the Daiquiri (including Hemingway's version, as seen in the post below), the Cuba Libra, and, of course, El Presidente.  

Now, it is reasonable to assume that this classic cocktail was name for or after a president, but which one is definitely up for debate. One story is that it was invented by Eddie Woelke, an American Bartender who fled the US to set up shop in Cuba (after trips to Nice and Paris), at the Jockey Club in Cuba for then president Gerardo Machado.

An opposing view is that an unknown bartender at the Vista Alegre Club in Santiago, for an earlier presidente, Mario Garcia Menocal. Whatever the story, it undoubtedly arose in Cuba and its history is murky - but that should be expected as it is a history that goes down in bars, when people are drinking.

(Mario Garcia Menocal)                                  (Gerardo Machado)

The drink calls for aged White Rum (1 1/2 oz), Dry Vermouth (3/4 oz), Orange Curacao (1/4 oz), and Grenadine (1/2 tsp). There is always a temptation to overuse Orange Curacao, but in this case it is best to let the Aged Rum's character take centre stage, paring down on the orange liqueur's sweetness, and finishing the sip with the dry vermouth. Our homemade grenadine is a great touch to this drink, giving the drink its great colour and adding a final flavour to the palate. 

The Blinker

Photo: T.J. McLachlan

Over the next few weeks we'll be writing about some of the cocktails we've selected for our inaugural event. Some of the drinks are pre-prohibition classics, while others are more contemporary. There will even be an original creation or two thrown into the mix.

Up first is The Blinker. I first stumbled across this recipe in my 1940 edition of Patrick Gavin Duffy's Official Mixer's Manual.

Photo: Andrew Borley

Duffy was the bartender of New York's Ashland House bar for some 40 years and his Official Mixer's Manual catalogued all of the most popular drinks in the years before prohibition, as well as those that became famous in speakeasy's around the country during the "dry years". It is fascinating to see how times have changed. The first 103 pages are dedicated to gin cocktails, while a brief half a page near the end of the book lists only two vodka recipes. Duffy also stresses that, "the barkeeper should be neatly shaved, and his hands and nails should be kept immaculately clean." A rule I try my best to follow as well.

Photo: Andrew Borley

Duffy's original recipe calls for: 1 Jigger (1.5 oz.) Rye

1.5 Jigger Grapefruit Juice

.5 Jigger Grenadine

While this sounds delicious, I wanted to use fresh fruit so replaced the grenadine with fresh blackberries and raspberries muddled in 1/2 oz of demerara sugar syrup. I also switched the base spirit of rye for Buffalo Trace Bourbon, a deliciously spicy whisky which is probably a closer match to the American 100% Rye that would have been used at the time, but sadly is difficult to find up here in Canada. 1/2 oz of freshly squeezed grapefruit juice rounds out the mix. Shaken with ice and doubled-strained into a chilled cocktail glass, our new blinker is a fine balance between the dark spice of the bourbon and the tart sweetness of berries and grapefruit. I think it's going to be popular.