In this episode the Gentlemen of Elegant Leisure take a trip down to New Orleans for Mardi Gras! 
Not literally mind you, but alcoholically.

They also discuss the pronunciation of New Orleans, Drunk History, Science of Cocktails, Cliff Notes and Coles Notes, and Fred recites poetry and reveals that he was attacked by a crow while wearing a feathered Mardi Gras mask.  We also incorrectly say that Canada never had Prohibition.  Actually, we had a national prohibition from 1918-1920.  Outside of those years, the Provinces could decide for themselves whether or not alcohol was legal.  For example, alcohol was illegal in Prince Edward Island from 1901-1948!

Anyway, on with the cocktails.  Fred brought to our attention a neat book called “Shaking Up Prohibition in New Orleans.  Authentic Vintage Cocktails from A to Z” by Olive Leonhardt & Hilda Phelps Hammond.  The book is edited by Olive’s grandson Gay Leonhardt who discovered the manuscript and drawings amongst his grandmother’s stuff.  Olive and Hilda were friends back in the early part of the 20th century and decided to compile a book of cocktails with pictures and verse during Prohibition in New Orleans.  The book was finally published in 2015 and we have chosen two to fill your Mardi Gras dance card.  The first is called “Tst-Tst” and the second is the “Zingaro”.  A note at the bottom of the page informs us that a zingaro is a gypsy.  Let’s get mixin’!


Tst -Tst
-from Shaking Up Prohibition in New Orleans, Louisiana State University Press, 2015.
1930-ish

1/4 Pineapple Juice  (1 ounce)
1/2 Gin  (2 ounces)
1/4 Italian Vermouth  (1 ounce)
few drops of Apricot Brandy

We shook it with ice and strained it into a cocktail glass.

Wow!  Two very unique cocktails.  Listen to the show then try them yourself.  Let us know if you think the same as we do.  Keep in mind that both Dave and Jason are getting over colds.  Happy Drinking!

Happy Valentine’s Day cocktail fans!  As well as making and sampling two terrific cocktails this time around, the Gentlemen also speak briefly of many things including a great bar in Vancouver's Hotel Georgia.  I said I'd put a link to it in the blog so here it is.  When you're in town, check out the 1927 Lobby Lounge. 

If the Gentlemen of Elegant Leisure are anything, they’re hopeless romantics.  And what could be more romantic than bringing together (reuniting if you will), the original cocktail couple, the Knickerbockers?  Both of these recipes come from Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails by Ted Haigh.  If you haven’t purchased this book yet, what are you waiting for?!?!?  It is a MUST have.  You can purchase it online while you’re listening to this episode.  Anyway, on with the blog.  Ladies first now.

May we introduce you to Mrs. Knickerbocker, or as she prefers to be called, Knickerbocker à la Madame.  Isn’t she lovely?  This is how she first appeared in William Terrington’s Cooling Cups and Dainty Drinks.

Knickerbocker à la Madame
William Terrington’s Cooling Cups and Dainty Drinks 1869

1/2 pint lemon water ice (basically lemon sorbet.  I’ll give you the recipe we used)
1/2 pint sherry or Madeira (we used Okanagan Cellars 35 Apera)
1 750ml bottle seltzer water
1/4 pint shaved ice

Mix the lemon water ice, sherry, and seltzer in a soda-water glass.  Add the shaved ice.

We cut the recipe in half for our show.  We also mucked around with the lemon sorbet recipe.  For our lemon sorbet, we combined a cup of sugar with a cup of water to make a simple syrup.  Then we added a cup of lemon juice.  Dave did not add the zest of two lemons but was supposed to.  Then we chilled the mixture in an ice cube tray.  When it came time to make the drink, we shaved the lemony ice cubes to make the sorbet.  It was a little bit of work and made my Snoopy Sno-Cone Machine all sticky. When you make it at home, just put the mixture into a big bowl in the freezer and go in and stir it every 1/2 hour or so until you get a nice snowy consistency.

We also didn’t drink it out of a soda-water glass (which I assume is just a glass).  We used stemmed cordial glasses and poured the mix over the shaved ice in the glass.

These were the actual measurements that we used for ours.  We cribbed it from this great website forgottencocktails.com

1 cup lemon sorbet
1 cup sherry (35 Apera)
375 ml club soda
1/2 a cup of shaved ice

No matter how you make it, whatever you do, MAKE IT!  I know we’ve made it look like a lot of work, but it’s not.  Please try this wonderful drink and then continue to make it all summer long.  It is really good.

And now, here he is for your drinking pleasure, Mr. Knickerbocker himself, Knickerbocker à la Monsieur.

Knickerbocker à la Monsieur
introduced by Jerry Thomas 1862, this version from Harry Johnson in 1888

2 ounces Virgin Islands Rum (we used Cruzan Single Barrel)
1/2 ounce orange curaçao
1/2 ounce raspberry syrup
1 ounce lemon juice
1 slice orange
1 slice pineapple

Add all to crushed ice in a goblet, collins glass, or tumbler.  Stir and serve.

Holy cow.  Such a good drink.  Yummy, yummy Virgin Islands rum.  A little bit tiki, a little bit not.

We hope you concoct and share these two drinks between you and your significant sweetie on Valentine’s Day.  That’s what we call true love.