American Rye has to be 51% or more rye whiskey. Canadian whiskey, while some brands do contain some rye, is not 51% rye, and some brands have no rye at all.
American Rye was wildly popular for many years, but if you ask for it, many liquor stores will point you to Canadian or American whiskey blends.
The usual was one part tequila, one part gin, orange juice to fill the glass, and a dash of grenadine. The vodka version had one part vodka to the mix, but that was at a college fraternity, so that might be their own personal variation.
I’ve actually found whiskey sours easy to find. Most bars have sour mix available (it’s a sour lemonade); it’s what I usually order if I want a mixed drink.
Does anyone still drink Gin and Bitter Lemon? How about a Tom Collins?
One of my best friends, a 21 year old woman living in Alabama, is quite fond of Tom Collinses, RealityChuck, and I had a sip of one of hers while visiting her six months ago and I liked it okay too.
I lament the disappearance of the Sidecar, one of the truly great cocktails:
3/4 oz Triple Sec
1/2 oz Cognac
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
Shake ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a twist of lemon peel. You should also run the lemon around the rim of the glass, and coat with sugar. Also, Cointreau may be substituted (and probably should be subtituted) for the Triple Sec.
I happen to absolutely love Tequila Sunrises. I always thought of it as a “well drink”, but when I ordered it in Vegas a few years back, the bartended grinned and said, “OOO…that’s an old one, but it is a good one.” (BTW, what IS the old recipe for Tequila Sunrises?)
I also love Sloe Comfortable Screws, but it’s tough to find a drink making book with the recipe. “The Complete Bartender” has it.
Joe Bob Briggs does a hell of a story on searching for a proper Mai Tai, done the “old way”. (Apparently, Mai Tai’s have morphed into fruity tropical drinks served in a fanciful way, but that’s not what the original was supposed to be like at all.) Trader Vic’s apparently comes the closest to the original recipe, IF you say you want it made “the old way” when you order it.
The sidecar’s a forgotten cocktail? Hunh. I had a couple just a few days ago, and I know I’ve seen them on the special-drinks list at my bar within the past couple of years.
Something about this thread reminds me of the Kids in the Hall skit about Girl Drink Drunk. But the other thread has inspired me, a minimalist cocktail drinker (martinis, single malt straight, vodka on the rocks, gin and tonic if I’m feeling adventurous) to adopt one of these drinks as my own. Bond had his shaken dry martini, I want my trademark drink. Problem is I don’t much like sweet drinks after too many bad margaritas and bad experiences with Sambucas and McCormick’s Kamikazes. I may start with the Greyhound or the Vodka Gimlet – they are appropriately old-skool enough that I won’t feel ashamed ordering them at nice establishments and I think I can deal with a touch of grapefruit juice or cordial. The Cosmopolitan is waay to Sex in the City but that may make an enticing candidate in a few years after everyone has forgotten about that show. Any other suggestions?
As to my contribution, I will point to a real forgotten cocktail. Apparently it was one of the first mixed drinks – the sazerac. I had one in New Orleans at an upscale Gumbo bistro in the French Quarter a few years ago. It was OK, too sweet for me and frighteningly red, but bitter and anise flavored, which I quite liked.
Last time I made a Mai Tai in the “old way” I ended up sitting on my front curb, laughing hysterically. I woke up the next morning with a headache the size of Texas.
I may have to make some of those again one of these days.
Can I just hijack this thread for a sec and ask a question that’s always bothered me about cocktails??
Using usar_jag’s “Sidecar” as an example:
Ok, so how does 2oz of *anything *fill a cocktail glass? Are you supposed to multiply the amounts to make enough to fill a glass? I know a cocktail glass is smaller than your standard 8oz. goblet, but still, 2 oz. is a shot is it not?
Anyone else remember the “Pousee-Cafe” fad? I’m glad I was still drinking when these were all the rage. It was made by alternating liquors of different weights and colors in a glass, so there was a horizontal stripe effect. I would eat each layer with a spoon.
