Comments on: The Four Gospels: The Manhattan

By: Ralph

Ralph — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 03:00:12 +0000

I would never shake a Martini, but I like a little air in my Manhattan.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 10:17:19 +0000

classic cocktail
I would love to garnish with an orange peel or lemon peel.

By: Doug

Doug — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 19:31:43 +0000

Gnostic, exactly.
It takes the church time to settle early texts down, establish the correct tone, and burn all the alternates to run the still. If you want to make your drinks from recipes found buried in Italian farmer’s field….
BTW, I love Flowing Bowl. I should dig a bit in it for this series, if I were into research or things like that.

By: AK

AK — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 19:00:14 +0000

“Oh, and if you add absinthe, it’s NOT a Manhattan! Heretic….”

I mean, it’s not what people would normally call a Manhattan, but the old versions do some strange stuff. The Savoy has that second recipe with more vermouth than whiskey and some curacao or maraschino on top of that, which does not look like a Manhattan to me at all.

But! The Manhattan in The Flowing Bowl had a bit of absinthe and a bit of maraschino on top of the usual 2:1. That’s old enough that I don’t feel like a heretic, per se… more like a gnostic? =P

By: Doug

Doug — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 18:48:05 +0000

I don’t think I’ve ever noticed anyone garnishing a Manhattan with a lemon peel.
And I think the Manhattan is the least tinker-with-able of the Four Gospels, as opposed to the Daiquiri, which is the most. So get orthodox, Jac, and break out the cherries!

By: Jac

Jac — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 15:38:37 +0000

I like a lemon peel…

By: Doug

Doug — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 14:37:20 +0000

I can’t believe I left out the orange peel option! I need to write an outline….
As for absinthe in addition to, or more often instead of, the bitters, I think it’s too much. There are too many competing, heady aromas in my opinion.
Oh, and if you add absinthe, it’s NOT a Manhattan! Heretic….

By: AK

AK — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 04:13:07 +0000

“How about garnish? I usually employ a nice brandied cherry, but in this one instance I still sometimes use the little red superballs from the supermarket, since the garnish is entirely cosmetic in a Manhattan.”

Oh no! The garnish is anything but cosmetic! A good brandied/maraschino cherry adds a sweetness to the last sips, giving the drink a nice sense of completion. When I’m making them, too, I often finish with an orange twist for brightness, or – what the hell, let’s go all out – a drop or two of absinthe…