Have you seen the new movie, The Great Gatsby, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Carrie Mulligan, and Tobey McGuire? Set during the "Roaring Twenties" or the "jazz age" as F. Scott Fitzgerald called it, the movie characterizes the decadent lifestyles of New York City's upper echelon, where every night was an extravagant party.
The "Roaring Twenties" was also the time of prohibition, when the manufacture, distribution, and sale of alcoholic beverages was considered illegal. Without legal liquor, what was a "hiphound" (boozer) to do? The rich had their liquor imported from France and other European countries, as well as purchased illegally from bootleggers (Gatsby). Those who could not afford to have imported liquor had to settle for the occasional illegal purchase, or more frequently, bathtub gin. Bathtub gin was liquor made homemade, often in one's bathroom, from cheap grain alcohol and other flavorings, just as juniper berry juice (which gives gin its flavor). This form of alcohol was called bathtub gin because the size and shape of the bottle could not be topped off with water from the kitchen sink; it had to be filled at the bathtub. Sometimes this homemade liquor was also mixed and fermented in the bathtub. (Sounds gross, doesn't it?)
Since bootleg and bathtub liquor was lower in quality (and taste) than real booze, prohibition era mixologists resorted to using fruit juices, herbs, and sweeteners to make drinks palatable, and mask the smell of alcohol.
Clubs called speakeasies, private clubs that served illegal alcohol, were all the rage in the 1920's. Famous clubs, such as The Cotton Club, The Stork Club, Chumleys, and The Colony, operated behind locked doors, admitting guests only by secret password or speakeasy card. Patrons to these clubs could dine, catch a whangdoodle (jazz show), and drink without prying eyes. Some of the more famous and unique cocktails to arise from this era, came from speakeasies.
The Bees Knees
Cute pet names and phrases were all the rage in the early 1900's, and "the bees knees" was one of the more popular slang phrases used in flapper culture, meaning, the ultimate or most excellent. It is said this phrase became popular because of dancer Bee Jackson, who made popular the Charleston dance, because of her fast-flying legs (and knees).
- 2 oz of Gin
- 2 tsp. Honey
- 2 tsp. Fresh squeezed lemon juice
Fill a shaker glass with cracked ice, and add the gin. Put the honey in a microwave-proof container and heat in the microwave for about 15 seconds. Mix the honey and lemon together, until the honey is melted, then add to the shaker of gin. Shake well, then strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.
*The original recipe did not call for melted honey, but in updating this recipe, I thought the honey would mix better if it were thinner. Heating the honey thins it out nicely to mix with the lemon juice.
The Colony Cocktail
The Colony was a prohibition era speakeasy, frequented by socialites such as the Vanderbilts and Windsors, as well as movie and stage celebrities.
- 2 oz Gin
- 1 oz Grapefruit Juice
- 1 tsp Maraschino syrup
Fill a shaker glass with cracked ice, and add all the ingredients, shaking until frothy. Pour into a cocktail glass and garnish with a maraschino cherry or grapefruit peel.
The Mary Pickford
Named for silent movie star, Mary Pickford, this cocktail was created by bartender Eddie Woelke, who moved to Cuba during prohibition, and ran the famous Jockey Club. For those who could afford it, a quick flight to Cuba was an easy (and legal) alternative to the speakeasy.
- 2 oz Light Rum
- 1 oz Pineapple Juice
- Dash of Maraschino syrup
- Dash of Grenadine
Fill a shaker with cracked ice, mix in all the ingredients, and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a maraschino cherry.
*Cracked Ice is the preferred type of ice for mixing cocktails, as it melts faster, and adds just the right amount of water to the cocktail before straining. Also, cracked ice chills a cocktail faster than cubed ice will, because the liquid of the cocktail can move amongst cracked ice better.
