Sunday, October 29, 2017

saigon special

1 pony Cognac (1 oz Courvoisier VS)
1/2 pony Dry Gin (1/2 oz Citadelle)
1/2 pony Cointreau (1/2 oz)
1/2 tsp Lemon Juice (1/4 oz)
2 tsp or so Egg White (1 Egg White)

Shake once without and once with ice, strain into a cocktail glass, and garnish with a cherry.

For the cocktail hour on Sunday night two weeks ago, I delved back into Charles H. Baker, Jr.'s The Gentleman's Companion: Jigger Beaker, and Glass. There, I was drawn to the Saigon Special that Baker discovered when his boat, the SS Resolute, stopped into South East Asia in 1925. Baker described how this recipe reminded him of the Jerusalem's Between the Sheets that he wrote about but with egg white and a bit sweeter in the balance. I ended up increasing the lemon juice to dry things out a bit though.
The Saigon Special provided a lemon and cherry nose with hints of orange and Cognac. Next, a creamy lemon and orange sip transitioned into a gin, orange, and brandy-filled swallow. Overall, the Saigon Special came across like a White Lady with brandy notes in the mix.

No comments: