Five Families
Instructions
Stir, strain, big rock, lowball
History
I can't remember where I got this recipe
In Memoriam: Sasha Petraske (1973-2015)
August 21, 2015. I'm sure most of you have heard of the untimely death today of Sasha Petraske, founder of Milk and Honey in the Lower East Side and eventually London, The Varnish in Los Angeles, Dutch Kills on Long Island, and a few other important bars around the world.
Though I never got to meet the man, or even, I’m ashamed to say, drink in one of his bars, I feel a great deal of sadness at his passing. Sasha was one of the earliest adopters of modern craft cocktails in this country, and we all owe him a debt. He advocated for so many things that drinkers around the world take for granted: good ice, attention to detail, measuring pours, and professional demeanor as a standard for bartenders.
When Milk and Honey opened, no one else was doing what he did. The entrance was hidden to the public. He did no advertising. There was a code of conduct, mainly for gentlemen. He enforced the dictates of polite society and a time long gone by on a crowd of people more used to Alabama Slammers as the pinnacle of the drinking experience - yes, Dale DeGroff has a contemporary recipe in The Craft of the Cocktail.
Here’s a great video with a short interview and a drink – the Bee’s Knees.
Sasha was just married a few months ago to Georgette Moger. He had moved to Hudson, New York to work as a consultant. If you’re out tonight, or feel like a cocktail at home, please join me in raising a glass to Sasha Petraske.
Zachary Pearson, Editor
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Although some sites list the publishing date for the Ampersand as 1934 or 1935, the very same recipe is found in 1931's "Old Waldorf Bar Days" by A.S. Crocket as well.
It is a solid base cocktail recipe, although not one of my top picks. Worth exploring with different vermouth or Old Tom gins. Per the original recipe's call for curacao, I used 1/2 tsp (level for my main mixing barspoon which has a smaller spoon) of Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao, with other components being Hayman's Old Tom, Carpano Antica, Courvoisier VSOP, and Regan's. It started sweet, but transitioned to juniper and a drier bitter orange finish. If I try it again I will use Carpano Classico or Cocchi di Torino, and possibly Ransom's Old Tom to explore the flavor range possible.
May want to add a bassoon (or slightly less) of triple sec (or equivalent, eg Grand Mariner)
Curated to correct name (Gentlemen's not Gentleman's) per the book. Note about the cold brew coffee concentrate formula added. Book reference also listed.
Gentle herbal note at the finish.
Curated to add history, creator, 2003 or earlier creation date, and location. The original may have used ginger ale rather than ginger beer, and Angostura is typically not associated with Sammy Berry's version, but I have left this in because it all works and I am leaving the listing as an "altered recipe" due to the uncertainties.