High Spirits

You can lead a man to liquor very easily in the torrid days ahead, provided the drinks are cold, tall and spirited. A sip of an ice-cold Liebfraumilch (alcohol, ten percent) spritzer will rally a fellow out of his summer torpor with lightninglike rapidity, while its low alcoholic content will permit a considerable intake with no fear of dulling the senses. The thirst-slaking spritzer, one of the most delightfully cool escape hatches from summer doldrums that we know, is variously known as hock and soda or Rhine wine and seltzer. The well-known Alpine pleasure may, in fact, be made from either Rhine wine in the brown bottle or Moselle in the green. Both German wines are famous for their young, fruity, racy flavors, If they're older than ten years, their briskness is lost. Wines with labels marked spätlese, made from late-gathered grapes, have a trace of sweetness and just enough of a bacchanalian flavor to keep the drink frisky until the last drop. When making a spritzer, make sure the hock, the glass and the soda are precooled as cold as the ice itself. A single large ice cube is placed in an eight or ten-ounce highball glass. While equal parts of hock and soda are the common ratio, we prefer about twice as much wine as sparkling water, with just enough of the latter to give the drink an added buoyancy. Conventionally, a bottle of siphon water is placed on the table for spritzers. It's convenient, but most well-known bottled carbonated waters are more full of play than siphons; and their fizz, after the bottle is opened, will last for hours, and even longer if you use a snap-on cap.

In the parade of great thirst quenchers, past and present, the gin rickey and the collins seem to roll on everlastingly from one drinking generation to the next. Originally the rickey was made with whiskey, but now it's automatically pegged with gin. Imaginative bibbers don't hesitate to make a collins with whiskey, vodka, rum or brandy. The gin daisy, a concoction of raspberry syrup, lemon juice, gin and crushed ice, keeps popping up from time to time, and can be dated from the last century when the word "daisy" meant something first-rate.

A number of tall concoctions proudly bear testimony to their national birthrights. Spanish thirsts are assuaged by tall tumblers filled with ice and extremely dry Spanish sherry. As long as there are palm trees in the Caribbean there will be rum-scented planter's punches. In Mexico and recently in the States, the tequila collins, made with lime juice and served in a salt-rimmed glass, is a delightful offbeat summer potation. Wherever the British lion still roars or wherever the echo of his roar is still heard, you'll find silver mugs filled with ice-cold Pimm's cups. The volume of tonic drinking in the world is in inverse ratio to the dissolution of the British Empire. The more it dissolves, the more people drink gin and tonic, rum and tonic, vodka and tonic and whiskey and tonic.

If you're hosting a party (see our Beach Ball, page 55) that's far removed from the permanent potables redoubt in your digs, the vacuum jug can save the bartending day. Like the punch bowl, the vacuum jug rests on a sensible principle: Everybody indulges in the same cup of cheer, no questions asked. The jug becomes the center of attention from which all fun radiates. Again, like the punch bowl, the jug must be big enough for long, lazy quaffing, freeing the host from making refills. In shops specializing in summer living you can now find whopping two-gallon stainless-steel vacuum jugs, fitted with spigots for easy serving.

The technique of preparing long drinks for vacuum jugs is simple. Mix the ingredients and chill with ice beforehand but omit sparkling water if it's called for in the recipe. Remove the ice from the chilled mixture and pour it into the jug, which should be prechilled with ice water. Carry ice separately in an ice bucket fitted with a handle, and have plenty of sparkling water. Each bibber then adds his ice (and soda if required) on the spot. In estimating how many rounds a one-or two-gallon jug will hold, remember that a drink stirred or shaken with ice usually increases about one fourth above its original volume. A gallon vacuum jug holds 128 ounces (4 quarts), so your pre-iced mixture should be measured to add up to 96 ounces (3 quarts), allowing the balance of the space for melted ice. That goes double for a two-gallon jug, natch. Needless to say, mathematics of this high order are best computed before, rather than after, the wet goods have been blended for your party.

It's a wise host, however, who realizes that drink proclivities are a highly personal matter. So if you intend to go into volume production on one or several of the drink recipes below, be sure to provide for dissidents in the crowd, having on hand the standard spirits--vodka, gin, Scotch, bourbon and rum (and wine for the spritzers)--along with splits of soda and tonic, and copious quantities of ice.

It was once the custom for julep makers to wear heavy mittens while muddling their drinks for fear the warmth of their hands would cause the ice to dilute unnecessarily. That awkward approach is avoided nowadays by furnishing guests with double-walled insulated glasses which are fast becoming S.O.P. for outdoor feasts.

Summer bartenders would do well to remember the wisdom in Ecclesiastes 2: 24: "There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink." One of the obvious virtues of tall mixed potables is that they never seem to get in the way of food, or vice versa. The creamy screwdriver (below), for instance, can be served before, during or after an outdoor summer brunch. Coolers can supplant the cocktail and the wine course.

Each of the liquid formulas that follow is designed for a single drink.

[drinkRecipe]Creamy Screwdriver[/drinkRecipe]

[recipe]6 ozs. orange juice[/recipe]

[recipe]Yolk of 1 small egg[/recipe]

[recipe]2 ozs. vodka[/recipe]

[recipe]3/4 cup coarsely cracked ice[/recipe]

[recipe]1 teaspoon sugar[/recipe]

Put orange juice, egg yolk, vodka, ice and sugar into well of electric blender. Blend about 20 seconds. Pour over three ice cubes in 16-oz. collins glass. Add more ice cubes if necessary to fill glass.

[drinkRecipe]Sherried Gin Fix[/drinkRecipe]

[recipe]2 ozs. gin[/recipe]

[recipe]1 oz. very dry sherry[/recipe]

[recipe]1 oz. lemon juice[/recipe]

[recipe]1/2 oz. orgeat[/recipe]

[recipe]1/2 oz. green Chartreuse[/recipe]

Either a 12-oz. collins glass or a 12-oz. brandy snifter may be used for this drink. Fill glass with finely cracked (not shaved) ice. Pour gin, sherry lemon juice and orgeat into glass. Stir well until all ingredients are well blended and glass is frosted. Add more ice if necessary to fill glass. Float Chartreuse on top. Serve with straw.

[drinkRecipe]St. Croix Cooler[/drinkRecipe]

[recipe]2 ozs. dry light Virgin Islands rum[/recipe]

[recipe]1/2 oz. dark Jamaica rum[/recipe]

[recipe]1 oz. brandy[/recipe]

[recipe]1 tablespoon brown sugar[/recipe]

[recipe]2 1/2 ozs. orange juice[/recipe]

[recipe]1 1/2 ozs. lemon juice[/recipe]

[recipe]Dash orange-flower water[/recipe]

[recipe]Carbonated water[/recipe]

[recipe]Peel of whole orange[/recipe]

For each drink the entire peel of a small orange should be used. Peel should be cut from stem end of orange in a continuous unbroken spiral. Put both kinds of rum, brandy, brown sugar, orange juice, lemon juice and orangeflower water into well of electric blender. Spin 20 seconds. Put three large ice cubes into 16-oz. collins glass. Place orange strip in glass, permitting one end to overhang rim. Pour drink into glass. Add carbonated water. Stir slightly.

[drinkRecipe]Rum Pineapple Fizz[/drinkRecipe]

[recipe]2 ozs. golden rum[/recipe]

[recipe]1/2 oz. 151-proof rum[/recipe]

[recipe]1/3 cup fresh pineapple, small dice[/recipe]

[recipe]White of I small egg[/recipe]

[recipe]1 teaspoon sugar[/recipe]

[recipe]1/2 oz. lemon juice[/recipe]

[recipe]1/2 oz. lime juice[/recipe]

[recipe]1 thin slice lime[/recipe]

[recipe]Carbonated water[/recipe]

When trimming fresh pineapple, be sure all sharp skin pieces and hard core are removed. Don't use canned pineapple; the flavor of the fresh is more lively. Put pineapple, both kinds of rum, egg white, sugar, lemon juice and lime juice into well of electric blender. Blend about 1/2 minute. Place three ice cubes into 16-oz. collins glass. Pour drink into glass and fill with carbonated water. Stir slightly. Make a slit halfway across lime slice, and fasten onto rim of glass. Place straw in glass.

[drinkRecipe]Cucumber Champagne[/drinkRecipe]

[recipe]8 ozs. iced dry champagne[/recipe]

[recipe]1 oz. benedictine[/recipe]

Cucumber peel

[recipe]1/2 oz. lemon juice[/recipe]

Wash cucumber, rubbing with vegetable brush or towel if necessary to remove waxy coating. Cut a long strip of peel, about 1/2 in. wide, the entire length of cucumber. Place in prechilled 10-oz. pilsener glass. Pour benedictine and lemon juice into glass. Slowly add champagne. Stir very slightly. Let drink set a few minutes for flavors to ripen.

(concluded on page 138)high spirits(continued from page 96)

[drinkRecipe]Grenadine Cup[/drinkRecipe]

[recipe]Iced dry white burgundy[/recipe]

[recipe]Grenadine[/recipe]

[recipe]Superfine sugar[/recipe]

[recipe]1/2 oz. lemon juice[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract[/recipe]

[recipe]1 oz. vodka[/recipe]

Dip rim of prechilled 12-oz. collins glass into grenadine; then dip into superfine sugar to make frosted pink rim around glass. Pour 1/2 oz. grenadine, lemon juice, vanilla and vodka into glass. Stir well. Add three ice cubes. Fill glass to rim with burgundy. The amount of wine used will depend upon size of ice cubes. Stir well.

[drinkRecipe]Manhattan Cup[/drinkRecipe]

[recipe]2 ozs. blended whiskey[/recipe]

[recipe]1 oz. dry French vermouth[/recipe]

[recipe]3 ozs. orange juice[/recipe]

[recipe]1/2 oz. lemon juice[/recipe]

[recipe]1/2 oz. orgeat[/recipe]

[recipe]Carbonated water[/recipe]

[recipe]Maraschino stemmed cherry[/recipe]

Pour whiskey, vermouth, orange juice, lemon juice and orgeat into 14-oz. collins glass with three large ice cubes. Stir until all ingredients are well blended. Fill glass with carbonated water. Stir slightly. Place cherry on top.

[drinkRecipe]Raspberry Claret Cup[/drinkRecipe]

[recipe]4 ozs. dry red wine[/recipe]

[recipe]1 oz. brandy[/recipe]

[recipe]1 oz. Himbeergeist (dry white raspberry brandy)[/recipe]

[recipe]3/4 oz. raspberry syrup[/recipe]

[recipe]1 oz. lemon juice[/recipe]

[recipe]Carbonated water[/recipe]

[recipe]Fresh or frozen whole raspberries[/recipe]

Be sure wine and brandies are ice cold before mixing drink. Place three ice cubes in 14-oz. collins glass. Pour wine, brandy, Himbeergeist, raspberry syrup and lemon juice into glass. Stir until all ingredients are very well blended. Fill glass with carbonated water. Stir slightly. Float two or three raspberries on top.

[drinkRecipe]English Mule[/drinkRecipe]

[recipe]3 ozs. ice-cold green ginger wine[/recipe]

[recipe]1 1/2 ozs. gin[/recipe]

[recipe]2 1/2 ozs. orange juice[/recipe]

[recipe]Carbonated water[/recipe]

1 piece preserved ginger in syrup

Place three ice cubes in 14-oz. collins glass. Pour wine, gin and orange juice into glass. Stir well. Fill glass with carbonated water. Stir slightly. Fasten preserved ginger, well drained, onto cocktail spear. Fit spear into straw in glass.

Once past the fixings and the mixings, all that's left is for host and guests alike to be caught up in the coolly inviting spirits of the occasion.