The Manhattan! -- A Cocktail from the '50's

Guest blogger, my hunky nephew Paul, is writing for us today.  Paul is a mixologist at one of our local watering holes and is currently single.  Yes, I meddle in my nephew's personal life.  Serious inquiries should inbox me privately. <wink>
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Known as "the drinking man's drink," it was the father to the "Martinez cocktail," which was the father to the popular "Martini." So, yeah, it's the martini's grand-daddy -- that ever so popular and sexy concoction of gin and vermouth. In fact, the Manhattan could be the reason we use vermouth in cocktails today.

The Manhattan was created in the late 1800's, and due to vermouth's increasing popularity at the time, may bartenders were experimenting with it. It is probable that many bartenders created the same cocktail at the same time. One theory is that the cocktail was created at the Manhattan club in New York City in 1874, when Jennie Churchill (Mother of Winston) threw a party for the newly elected Governor.

Now, to the nitty-gritty. The cocktail falls into the French-Italian family of cocktails. Because New York was a rye town at the time, the original recipe calls for rye whiskey. Other adaptations use bourbon (the South) or brandy (the Midwest). We're going to do it the way it was intended:

The Manhattan

2 oz Rye Whiskey (I use Old Overholt - Cheap and Good for Cocktails)
3/4 Oz Sweet Vermouth (I use Dolin)
2 Dashes Angostura Bitters
Maraschino Cherry

Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass.  Add ice.  Stir (preferably with a bar spoon), minimum of 20 revolutions, no more than 25.  The idea is to chill the drink, dilute the whisky and NOT water the cocktail down.  Strain into a chilled martini or coupe glass.  Garnish with cherry.

WARNING:  Vermouth is wine.  It will go bad, even though it is fortified.  When not in use, refrigerate, it will keep longer.  Generally, you can stretch it to a week.

Note:  I make my own cherries because most of the ones you buy are brined, bleached, and colored to that disposable bright red.  The recipe?  I'll share that in the future.  For now, you can buy Luxardo Brand Maraschino Cherries or any brandied Maraschino Cherries.  Just avoid anything bright red.  That's garbage.

Try the recipe.  Let Uncle Alex know what you think.

--Paul