Derby Day--And Not A Julep In Sight

Ah, The Kentucky Derby: the most exciting two minutes in sports surrounded by four hours of commentary.

Yes, the Mint Julep is the traditional Derby drink, and I have no quarrel with it being a dandy libation, but everyone and his jockey will be writing about the Julep. So let's talk about another drink that would fit the requirements of the day.

You want something properly celebratory, of course, since the Derby is all about having a grand time. And it should have a bit of the old-boy snob appeal to go with all those men in tuxes and women in wide brimmed hats. But it can't be a sissy drink, needs to have some alcoholic oomph to get you numb enough to ignore how short the race actually is (see comment above). My pick for a drink that fits all the above: The French 75.

You might call this a "Champagne Cocktail" but it's about as similar to a Mimosa as Mrs. Lovett is to Dorothy Gale. The French 75 is named after the French 75mm cannon built in 1897 and used in WWI; the cannon was designed to have a smoother recoil than those built before but still use a powerful shell, which as Ted Haigh says in Vintage Cocktails makes the name appropriate for a drink that is "smooth, yet packs a wallop." I first tried it because, of course, it has gin it. But how weird is it to combine gin and champagne of all things? As it turns out, not weird at all and one of the best party drinks I've found. So on to the recipe:

2 oz. gin (avoid overly herby gins for this one)
1 oz. lemon juice, fresh of course
1 tsp. of simple syrup or 2 tsp. sugar
Champagne

I almost always end up using the sugar because I never plan far enough ahead to make simple syrup. I think Monin makes a bottled simple syrup--but I've also never planned far enough ahead to look for it. Spontaneous drinker.
Fill your cocktail shaker with ice--and let me harp once again on the importance of using nice big cubes so you don't water the drink too much (if you're getting really pissy about me mentioning this every time--too bad). Put everything in but the Champagne and shake. Pour it into a flute and top with Champagne. Usually, all I garnish with is a lemon peel spiral but I know a maraschino cherry is often added too: the glow-in-the-dark color just makes me nervous (like I'm not already putting dangerous things in my body?) Now that wasn't hard was it?

First thing you'll notice is that the gin mixture takes up a whomping amount of room in the flute, so you really are just "topping" it with Champagne. Thus the wallop it packs. And since carbonation tends to speed alcohol into the bloodstream (learned this in my bartender licensing class where I also learned that if someone is slurring their speech, they might have had enough--gee, ya think?), the bubbly will juice it right in there. You'll be seeing twice the field of horses by post time after a couple of these. Just don't wait to place your bets until then.

And for those of you in my area (Wisconsin, Illinois, etc.), Arlington Race Track opened May 1 and every Thursday is Senior Day when admission is only 3 bucks for anyone 55 or over--woot! It's a pleasure to be considered a senior at 55 if it comes with bennies.

I'll leave you with one more comment about this drink from Robert Hess whose drinkboy.com website I highly recommend: "Some people claim this drink should use Cognac instead of gin. Those people would be wrong."

Off to the races.