Miranda Banks
Where they started and where to sip them
Seated at the bar of the Big Four Restaurant in San Francisco’s Huntington Hotel, I drink in the scenery: Lead-glass mirrors. Forest green banquettes. Striking photographs of early California history.
Then I ask the bartender for another martini.
“It’s amazing how many people love these classics,” notes Jeffrey Crolius, who has stood behind the Big Four’s long stretch of polished wood for the past ten years...
Where they started and where to sip them
Seated at the bar of the Big Four Restaurant in San Francisco’s Huntington Hotel, I drink in the scenery: Lead-glass mirrors. Forest green banquettes. Striking photographs of early California history.
Then I ask the bartender for another martini.
“It’s amazing how many people love these classics,” notes Jeffrey Crolius, who has stood behind the Big Four’s long stretch of polished wood for the past ten years...
Miranda Banks Where they started and where to sip them Seated at the bar of the Big Four Restaurant in San Francisco’s Huntington Hotel, I drink in the... more
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Created 06/04/08
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1
The Ramos Gin Fizz
Ritz-Carlto
New Orleans
A favorite of patrons at New Orleans’ Ritz-Carlton hotel, this frothy, decadent potion was invented by Big Easy barkeep Henry C. Ramos in the 1880s. Made from lemon juice, lime juice, orange flower water, gin, egg white, sugar and cream, the lively libation had Ramos’ customers lining up for a glass, and required a small team of bartenders to share the three-minute shaking process
2
The Sidecar
The Ritz
Paris
First mixed in Paris during World War I, the Sidecar was named for bar regulars who arrived before dinner on their motorcycles (with sidecars) and asked the bartender for a little something to help take off the chill. Brandy was used for its warming qualities, Cointreau for its complexity, and lemon juice for tartness. The definitive version is still served up at Hemingway Bar in the Ritz Paris. The cost: up to $580 a glass
3
Vieux Carre Cocktail
Monteleone Hotel
New Orleans
Named for the French Quarter neighborhood of its birth, this classically southern elixir is a lusty concoction of rye whiskey, cognac, sweet vermouth, Benedictine and bitters. The drink remains a favorite in New Orleans, especially at the Carousel—adding an extra spin to your buzz.
4
The Sazerac
Ritz-Carlton
New Orleans
Rye whiskey, Peychaud’s bitters, sugar, lemon peel and Herbsaint (or some absinthe substitute, such as Pernod) give this elegant cocktail its celebrated distinction, provided that it is mixed by a bartender who can give it the careful preparation and presentation it deserves. Although its roots trace back to France, it is known as a signature drink of New Orleans, particularly at the Ritz-Carlton’s Library Lounge.
5
The Manhattan
The Carlyle Hotel
New York
A deceptively complex mix of bourbon, sweet vermouth and Angostura bitters, the Manhattan is sweet, but not too much. Invented in New York City in the late 19th century, its distinct taste varies from bartender to bartender, depending on the amount of vermouth that is used. Only the best saloon alchemists—such as the gang at Bemelmans Bar in the Carlyle Hotel—know how to find that perfect balance.
6
Red Snapper
St. Regis Hotel
New York
A smooth concoction of vodka, tomato juice, lemon juice and spices (including Tabasco and Worcestershire Sauce), this classic cocktail came to America in the '20s, landing at New York’s St. Regis Hotel—where it remains a house specialty today in the King Cole Room. Over the years, it has stood up to a lot of tinkering in its reinvention as the Blood Mary, including variations that use beer (the Bloody Beer), rum (the Bloody Beach) and tequila (the Bloody Maria).
7
Martini
Huntington Hotel
San Francisco
As iconic at the triangular glass into which it’s usually poured, the martini is a blend of gin and vermouth that has become a staple of the stand-up bar scene since its storied invention in San Francisco in the 1870's. Although these days it has spawned endless, creative variations (Pickletini, anyone?), something close to the original recipe can be found at the Big Four Restaurant in San Francisco’s Huntington Hotel.
8
Singapore Sling
Hotel Raffles
Singapore
This legendary tropical drink developed an almost mythical status as it spread from its Asian birthplace to bars across the globe—despite the degree of difficulty in properly blending its eight ingredients. The cocktail requires gin, Cherry Heering brandy, Cointreau, Benedictine, pineapple juice, lime juice, Grenadine and a dash of bitters. Sampling it at the colonial-era Hotel Raffles is a must for all visitors to the country that gave it its name.
9
Piña Colada
Caribe Hilton
Puerto Rico
The original recipe for this rich and sweet Caribbean classic is still used by bartenders at the Caribe Hilton in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where the drink was invented: white rum, fresh pineapple, and the juice and jelly from a green coconut. Otherwise, finding a mixologist to serve you an authentic version of this tasty temptation is a rarity, as nowadays, too many bartenders reach for the pre-made mix.
10
Mary Pickford
Hotel Nacional de Cuba
Havana
A shaken combination of rum, pineapple juice, grenadine and maraschino liqueur, the Mary Pickford was invented at the Hotel Nacional in Cuba during the Prohibition era, and is still served there today. The drink was named for the famed silent film star (aka “America’s Sweetheart”), and given its sugary flavoring, it could easily be a child’s favorite—if it weren’t for the rum. Maybe that’s what inspired that other leading-lady-inspired libation, the Shirley Temple.
[source: https://www.forbestraveler.com/food-drink/classic-hotel-cocktails-story.html ]
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