Salvatore Calabrese - Classic Cocktails

WHEN I STARTED WORKING ON THE FIRST EDITION OF CLASSIC COCKTAILS, BACK IN 1995, THE VERY IDEA OF A CLASSIC COCKTAIL JUST WASNT ON MOST PEOPLES RADAR. DURING THE 1970S, 80S, AND 90S, THERE HAD BEEN SOMETHING OF A BACKLASH AGAINST THE BARTENDERS OF OLD, THEIR RECIPES, AND THEIR PALATE FOR DRINKS.

In the last few decades, while you couldve easily come across a recipe for a cocktail that bore the name of a classic, it had probably been horribly twisted and lacked any resemblance to how it would originally have been created. I can remember judging a Bloody Mary cocktail competition at Dicks Bar at the iconic Atlantic Bar & Grill, which was the place to go in late-1990s London. Halfway through, I had had enough: I had expected to be served fantastic versions of a drink created in 1920, but instead these Bloody Marys used red wine, orange liqueur, and carrot juice. While this was one of the first signs of a new era of creativity, it showed little allegiance to the drinks of old.

Today, things are different. Im proud we are living in a new golden age of cocktails, and drinkers have a newfound respect for the classics. As for what exactly I mean by classic cocktails, Im talking about drinks that have stood the test of time. Many of the recipes in this book date back to the mid-nineteenth century and before, though I have included some modern classics that I believe will still be around in decades to come.

Bartenders today are constantly on the lookout for lost and forgotten recipes. Theres a real interest in vintage spirits and making cocktails the way they were made when they were first created. In fact, I specialize in that in my bars, and Im thrilled were even seeing products that had long died out or were out of business brought back to life.

Today, I see young bartenders learning about cocktails as I didstarting with a small number of classic recipes; using tried-and-tested techniques and equipment; walking before they run; and learning to appreciate flavor, balance, and the complexity that can be achieved through the simplest combination of ingredients. I like to think Ive played a part in that: Classic Cocktails is a bestseller and has been reprinted many times!

Modern mixologists might be playing in the laboratory and adopting the techniques and equipment of chefs, but even the most adventurous are tending to base their drinks on the classics, both in the flavors they are combining and in the ways they choose to present them.

My own appreciation of what is classic has changed. Back in 1997, I included a number of recipes that would appeal to the palate of the time, and by todays definition, they would not be called classics. Gone are the Blue Lagoons, Fluffy Ducks, and Fuzzy Navels; theres less emphasis on liqueurs; and in general, our collective palate has grown to appreciate more complex and refined cocktails.

A SENSE OF ROMANCE AND INTRIGUE SURROUNDS THE WORD COCKTAIL. IT CONJURES UP IMAGES OF SMOKY SPEAKEASIES, GANGSTERS AND THEIR ASSOCIATES, BEAUTIFUL WOMEN IN SILK GOWNS, AND GRAVEL-VOICED SIRENS CROONING COLE PORTER TUNES. EVERY MOVEMENT IS SEEN BY THE BARTENDER. HE IS EVERY-BODYS BEST FRIEND AND A SHOULDER TO CRY ON. TO BE A BARTENDER IS TO PRACTICE THE ART OF CONVIVIALITY AND HUMANITY WITH ALL TYPES OF PEOPLE.

I genuinely believe making a cocktail is an art, like theater. A bar is a stage for the bartender and his customers. The bartender is also a doctor, psychologist, and friend in one.

Many of the cocktails in this book were created by legendary bartenders who, perhaps, did not imagine the drinks they concocted would be as well known as they are now. They put together combinations from whatever they could find to make the taste of the Prohibition bathtub spirit palatable. Many of the cocktails ordered across the bar these days were popular during Prohibition, from the Champagne Cocktail to the Manhattan. Its hard to beat the mystique of these drinks. That period in drink history made an everlasting impact on our psychological taste buds the thrill of secretiveness, of drinking illegal substances, is somehow retained in the cocktail itself the Martini, the Manhattan, and the Jack Rose. To sip these illicit nectars is to be transported back into the forbidden glamour of the speakeasy.

The 1920s, 30s, and 40s were the decades of the new drinkmainly short and mainly alcoholic. The use of splits and fruit juices was minimal. Even if a split was added, the spirit made up the majority of the drink. The aim was a quick hit. Short drinks were ordered by drinkers who didnt want the same glass in front of them for too long.

The next few decades saw most drinks become longer, and alcohol became the minority ingredient as cocktails were chosen for refreshment. Today, we have almost gone full circle, with alcohol once again the hero.

To me, a cocktail must first satisfy the eyes, then the nose, and third, the palate. The perfect cocktail is a crescendo of three elementscolor, flavor, and texture. I get an enormous pleasure in creating a new drink, in achieving the balance between sweetness and sharpness. The key is to use ingredients that will not fight each other. In a long drink, I focus on the flavor of the fruit juice, then think about what other ingredients it will combine with. The juice inspires the colora combination of colors is important in a long drink. When you create a drink, you also have to give it an appropriate name, one that will be remembered for some years.