French 75
Welcome to the year 2021. I know that 2020 has not been the easiest of years for anyone but here’s hoping that 2021 will be a better and safer year for everyone. The best way to celebrate the beginning of a new year is with a glass of champagne or sparkling wine. Now there is nothing wrong with enjoying a glass of good champagne or prosecco, but if you want something a little different or a cocktail to impress your friends with, take a look at a French 75.
A French 75 is a straightforward cocktail to produce with very little work needed to make. The cocktail consists of four ingredients, most of which you most likely have at home already, a blend of floral and herbaceous gin, simple syrup for a little bit of sweetness, fresh lemon juice for brightness, and champagne or prosecco.
The French 75 origin is said to date back to France during World War One when Harry MacElhone, a bartender at the New York Bar, known today as Harry’s New York Bar, created the cocktail. The cocktail’s name came from being said to have such a kick to it that it felt like being hit by a shell from a French 75mm field gun. The first written record of the 75 was in the 1922 edition of MacElhone’s book Harry’s ABC of Mixing Cocktails. The cocktail listed in the edition of the book was quite different from the one we know today. MacElhone’s version utilized calvados, gin, grenadine, and absinthe. During the publication in 1922, another bartender, Robert Vermeire, also published a version of the cocktail but included lemon juice. In Vermeire’s publication, he did give credit for the drink to MacElhone.
The cocktail’s Classic form changed over time and evolved into the version that we all enjoy today. The first noted print of this version of the French 75 was in 1927 in the book Here’s How by Judge Jr. This version of the cocktail utilized gin, sugar, lemon juice, and champagne. Once again, the cocktail changed slightly, and some bartenders began to use cognac in place of the gin.
When hearing about the ingredients in a French 75, they may seem very similar to a Tom Collins, a classic gin cocktail utilizing lemon juice, simple syrup, and carbonated water. It is safe to assume that the French 75 is a variant of a Tom Collins because, in Harry ABC of Mixing Cocktails, he does reference the similarity of the two cocktails. MacElgone also remarked that he was initially going to use a highball, or a Collins glass, showing more of the two cocktails’ similarity.
What I love about a French 75 is the simplicity of the cocktail. Not only is the cocktail straightforward to make, but it also has such a lush herbaceous about it. Each gin has a slightly different flavor profile, which can change the cocktail. I like utilizing Barr Hill gin within my French 75 because the gin is richer in the body from the honey incorporated in the gin. This gin also adds a little honey characteristic that is nice when using champagne with strong brioche notes. Any gin would work lovely in this cocktail, and I would use your favorite gin.
The lemon juice and the simple syrup work together to help balance the cocktail. The lemon juice’s acidity helps lighten and brighten the cocktail, while the simple syrup helps balance the acidity of the lemon and the wine itself.
To make a French 75, you begin by combining 1 oz. of gin, 1/ 2 oz. of lemon juice, and ½ oz. of simple syrup in a Boston shaker. Fill the shaker with ice and shake for 30 seconds; the cocktail shaker will begin to frost and be cold to the touch. Once the cocktail is cold, use a hawthorn strainer and strain the gin mixture into a champagne flute; if you don’t have a champagne flute, a white wine glass works perfectly fine. To the gin mixture, fill the glass with the champagne or prosecco of your choice. I find that using prosecco, you will have a crisper and slightly more acidic cocktail, but with champagne, you get a somewhat richer and brioche flavor with the cocktail, both of which are delicious. This drink doesn’t need much for a garnish; a simple lemon twist works just perfectly well.
The finished cocktail crisp and clean, with sweet lemon and herbaceous botanicals dancing through the effervescence in the champagne. The French 75 is a simple cocktail to produce but is delicious and a great way to welcome the new year.
French 75
1 oz. Gin
1/2 oz. lemon juice
1/2 oz. simple syrup
3-4 oz. champagne
Method:
In a Boston shaker combine gin, lemon juice, simple syrup with ice.
Shake until the mixture is chilled, about 30 seconds
Using a hawthorn strainer, pour the gin mixture into a flute or a white wine glass
Add the champagne to fill the flute or wine glass.
Garnish the completed French 75 with a lemon twist.