Fall French 75

The traditional French 75 recipe is served in a Champagne flute. Cocktail purists will disagree, but I like mine in a Collins glass over ice. Bartender and author, Jeffrey Morgenthaler, prefers it this way too and I have come to agree with him. The ice dilution and modified recipe makes the drink more palatable. See for yourself.

The Fall French 75 recipe:

• 1.25 oz gin (I recommend Beefeater)

• 1 oz lemon juice

• .75 oz cinnamon simple syrup*

• 2-3 oz Champagne

• Garnish: cinnamon stick and/or lemon peel

Add your ingredients, except the Champagne to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake hard until properly diluted. Add the Champagne to the shaker tin and strain into a Collins glass with ice. Garnish and enjoy.

 "I totally get it now, a French 75 is just a Tom Collins with Champagne instead of soda water". - Jeffrey Morgenthaler

Substitutions:

Gin: Personally, I would stick with a London Style Gin here as I prefer the less floral, but juniper forward notes. But an American style gin (i.e. Greylock from Berkshire Mountain Distillers) can be used if that is what you prefer. 

Cinnamon syrup: Regular simple syrup can be used instead or some herbal simple syrup, like thyme or rosemary can be used.

Champagne: A dry Prosecco can be substituted.

*Cinnamon simple syrup recipe>>>

Gibson

The classic Gibson gets a slight upgrade in this modernized version. Celery bitters add complimentary vegetal notes and fennel bitters enhance the overall flavor profile. I was introduced to a similar version many years ago when I visited my friend Steve Schnelwar on the bar at 80 Thoreau. 

The Gibson cocktail recipe:

• 2.5 oz gin (I recommend Plymouth)

• .5 oz dry vermouth (I use Boisserie Extra Dry)

• 1 dash celery bitters (any celery bitters brand will do - highly recommend using this ingredient)

• 1 dash fennel bitters (optional)

• Garnish: 3 cocktail onions (pickled) and an orange peel

Add your ingredients into a mixing glass. Add ice and stir until properly diluted. Place your cocktail onions into a chilled coupe or martini glass. . Next, pour your cocktail into the glass. Express the orange oils over the cocktail and rim the glass with the peel. Discard peel or put into glass. 

Take it up a notch: Follow the instructions above and drop on top some freshly ground pepper. Pepper and Gibson's go extremely well together and adds both flavor and sense of smell notes.

Substitutions:

Gin: Always use a dry style gin for a Gibson. You can substitute Beefeater for Plymouth.

Cocktail onions: Most pickled vegetables would work here, but do not use pickles. I would recommend dilly beans. My recipe for home made cocktail onions will come at a later time. 

Bitters: Celery bitters are quite common these days. Fee Brothers make a good version with notes of garlic and brine. Fennel bitters are more rare and aren't necessary if you can't find them. 

Dry and Golden

This drink may look like a brown, bitter and strong Whiskey drink, but it is actually gin based and dry. This cocktail is a nice summer sipper that would be a great aperitif before a meal to open up your appetite, and would pair nicely with cheese and crackers. 

Dry and Golden recipe:

• 1.5 oz Gin (use London Dry style, like Beefeater)

• .75 oz Lillet Blanc

• .25 oz Bitter Truth EXR

• Barspoon Benedictine

• 2 dashes orange bitters

• 1 dash salt tincture (1:1 salt to water)

• Garnish: lemon peel 

Add your ingredients to a mixing glass and add ice. Stir until properly diluted and cold. Pour into a chilled glass and add the garnish.

Substitutions:

Bitter Truth EXR: Ramazzotti Amaro can be used here. Other Amari can  be used as well, like Nardini, Averna or Lucano. I have only tried with Ramazzotti though, which is very common and affordable. 

Lillet Blanc: Cocchi Americano can be used. Dolin Blanc can also be used in a pinch, but won't be as floral or citrus forward as it would be using Lillet.