Photo: Genae Jefferson
24 | Ceres Magazine | Oct/Nov 2015
When life gives you lemons, make a couple of Sidecars. The beginning of the Roaring Twenties started with the Prohibition of the sale of alcohol (18th Amendment). However, the federal government couldn’t stop the impending party fervor that was taking over the country. Bootleggers, Speakeasies, and Prohibition Era Cocktails were born and encouraged with the same flair and finesse as to compliment the music and dance creativity that exploded at every party. Prohibition Era Cocktails found favorites in the spirits of Gin and Bourbon. There was the Gin Rickey, Mint Julep, French 75, Sidecar, White Lady, Bees Knees, Tom Collins, and the Whiskey Sour. They were crafted to be strong in the spirit, but soft on the palette.
Our Prohibition Era Cocktail adventure led us to a Downtown Los Angeles staple: the famous Cole’s. Opened in 1908, by Henry Cole, it boasts as having originated the French Dip Sandwich.
However, it’s the fantastic cocktail menu that caught my fancy, complete with hand-shaved ice and whipped egg whites.
Ingredient:
• 0.75 oz Fresh lemon juice
• 0.75 oz Simple syrup (one part
water, one part sugar)
• 1.5 oz Gin
• Club soda
Garnish: Lemon wheel, Cherry
Glass: Highball or Collins
Directions: Add the lemon juice, simple syrup and gin to a shaker and fill with ice. Shake well and strain into a highball or Collins glass filled with fresh ice. Top with club soda and garnish with a lemon wheel and a cherry. (http://liquor.com/recipes/tom-collins-2/#gs.H3Xu35A)
Review: The Tom Collins, or the Master of the All-Time Gin Classic, was immediately refreshing and delightful. The gin was certainly aggressive, but not in a malicious way. The soft carbonation was playful, and allowed for longer absorption. Cole’s use of the Luxardo Cherry as a garnish finished the drink with a smile.
Prohibition Era Cocktails
By Genae Jefferson
Tom Collins
Photo: Genae Jefferson