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The Sophisticated French 75 Cocktail

By MICHAEL VIVAR 

A veritable flood of new cocktails sprung from 1910s Paris. One that is finding a renaissance in modern times is the French 75.

The era and location were a playground for writers and artists such as Virginia Woolf, Ernest Hemingway and Henri Matisse, who would all soon be part of The Lost Generation.

In their decadent youth, they were always seeking out an adventurous new drink. How could they resist the French 75? It was described as "like being shelled by a French 75mm gun."

The secret to the cocktail’s kick is the heady gin being sped to the bloodstream by the carbonation and sweetness of champagne. Follow this recipe and take the ride.

French 75 Ingredients

1 1/2 oz of gin 3/4 oz of fresh lemon juice 3/4 oz of simple syrup 2 oz of Champagne or sparkling wine Long spiral lemon twist

Step 1

Fill a cocktail mixer with ice. Combine the gin, lemon juice and simple syrup into the mixer.

Step 2

Cover the mixer. Shake vigorously until the exterior is cold and sweating, which should take 20 seconds.

Step 3

Strain the cocktail through a slotted spoon into a large champagne flute. A coupe glass can also be used.

Step 4

Pour the Champagne into the flute and garnish with lemon twist. Sparkling wine can be used instead. If this is prepared away from guests, barely anyone will notice.

Variations

A "Maxwell" uses an equal mixture of cucumber vodka and Cointreau instead of gin. A "French Harvest" swaps Champagne for sparkling cider. The combinations are endless.

"If you have a French 75, you take a drink, then the drink takes a drink, then the drink takes you." – F. Scott Fitzgerald

Are you a fan of the French 75?