Park Avenue Cocktail

This year for Christmas my wife treated me to a new cocktail book to expand my horizons and allow me to keep expanding my experiment in mixology that is DaveDrinks.  This book is a great one full of classic cocktails, and is appropriately named “Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails” by Ted Haigh.  It’s a fascinating book, with many interesting tidbits, although unsurprisingly, many of the drinks contain a difficult to acquire ingredient not found in the modern bar.  There are exceptions of course, and tonight I tried the Park Avenue Cocktail.

According the Haigh, “This drink is synonymous with wealth, power, and luxury in New York City”.  That’s high praise for a cocktail, so let’s see how I feel after a sample…

• 2 ounces gin
• 0.75 ounces pineapple juice
• 0.75 ounces sweet vermouth
• 2 teaspoons orange curacao

Shake it all over ice and serve it up in a martini glass, simple enough.

Dave’s Thoughts:

• It starts dry, has a just perceptively sweet middle and ends dry again.  You should enjoy your gin before sampling this wealthy beverage.
• I’m not sure how the drink earned it’s powerful moniker, as to me it tastes of a softened dry martini.
• Don’t be confused with its three luxurious sweet sounding ingredients, there is only a hint of the sweet pineapple flavor.

Tasting Notes:

• Dave’s Rating: 6/10
• Strength: 5/10
• Sweetness: 4/10
• I tried to be witty and note its wealthy, powerful and luxurious qualities, but honestly, I didn’t think these were the best descriptors as I tasted.  On the whole, and ok classic cocktail, very middle of the road.

Sorry for the lack of a picture – just wasn’t feeling photographic tonight!

 

Pegu Club Cocktail

Back on track – actually time for a drink I made today.  Lot’s of posting to get on track… hopefully the post quality isn’t suffering.  This drink was the alternative choice of Kathryn for my birthday beverage, so let’s see how its stacks up.  Notice the cool new “glassware” courtesy of my sister for my birthday – stainless martini glasses!

• 1.5 ounces gin (Bombay Sapphire)
• 0.75 curacao (pretty sure blue isn’t the best choice, but it’s what I had)
• 1 dash of Angostura bitters
• 1 dash orange bitters
• 1 dash fresh lime juice

Mix vigorously over ice.  Serve in a martini glass.

Dave’s Thoughts:

• The story is this drink was created in Rangoon in the 1930s… fun fact of the day!
• When sipping you get a hint of orange from the curacao and a hint of the gin in the background, neither overpowers the other.
• A fun drink that is… blue.  Don’t be surprised if you are asked about that blue popsicle you didn’t have.

Tasting Notes:

• Dave’s Rating: 6/10
• Strength: 6/10
• Sweetness: 6/10
• Is this drink the work of the devil?