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Frisco

I hate the name, too.

In 1907, while San Francisco was still in shock from the devastating earthquake that had struck just a year before, a group of women from the Ladies Outdoor Art League of San Francisco formed an Anti-Frisco committee, labeling the nickname for the city “obnoxious,” and seeking to have the term stamped out.

They largely succeeded. During my very short time living in San Francisco right after college, I learned that only small children and rubes call the city by this overly familiar nickname. It’s the kind of thing you hear in old black-and-white movies, the kind of term that makes you cringe slightly with the overbearing corniness of it all.

Still, the cocktail’s not bad.

I have no idea where this drink came from; it kind of appeared from the mists of time, as far as I can tell, and started cropping up in bar guides at least as early as the 1930s (”Cocktail Bill” Boothby’s World Drinks and How to Mix ‘Em, 1934 edition, is the first place I found it — if anybody has it earlier, chime in). Like other, earlier versions I’ve seen — Stork Club, Trader Vic, etc. — Boothby’s drink was somewhat simpler, and much duller, calling for simply a dose of whiskey (some places specify rye, others bourbon, others simply “whiskey”) touched with anywhere between a quarter- and three-quarters of an ounce of Benedictine, that deeply herbaceous French liqueur, and goosed with a twist of lemon. Before long, lemon juice crept in to tame the Benedictine — the Esquire Drinks Book from 1957 and David Embury’s The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks list similar recipes, with a 6:2:1 rye-to-Benedictine-to-lemon ratio.

A more modern interpretation is in Paul Harrington’s Cocktail: The Drinks Bible for the 21st Century (from which I cribbed the part above about the Anti-Frisco Committee). Harrington ramps up the lemon, and makes his an 8:3:1, rye to lemon to Benedictine drink.

I like a version somewhere in the middle; a good dose of lemon keeps the cocktail tart, but the Benedictine is good for the challenge. If my recipe isn’t to your liking, try another version — perhaps the more herbally robust Embury-style drink from above, Harrington’s version with its toned-down liqueur, or the version currently being served at Eastern Standard in Boston, which uses the standard 2:1:1 measure for this cocktail. If you find a version you like, be sure to specify that if you order it out (and post it in the comments) — because god knows you won’t want to use the name.

Frisco

  • 2 ounces rye
  • 3/4 ounce Benedictine
  • 3/4 ounce lemon juice

Shake with ice and strain into chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist, or with a lemon wheel.

(and this is also an opportune time to remind everybody that just three days from now is Mixology Monday, theme is Exotic Drinks, hosted by Meeta at What’s For Lunch, Honey? Do please join us.)

Mark the Calendar

Apologies for the long absence, but it’s been another stretch of time when I’ve been too busy to breathe (part of my workload, though, has been booze-related, which I’ll be able to discuss more fully in January). But before I go back under, I need to remind/alert everyone of three upcoming dates:

  • Next Monday, October 16, is Mixology Monday #8. Meeta over at What’s For Lunch, Honey? is hosting this round, and she’s chosen Exotic Drinks for her theme. This is perfect — the theme covers a wide range, everything from the funky, fruity drinks you had on vacation to your latest experiments in tikidom. I know several folks have discussed doing something along these lines, so here’s your chance — get your post up by the 16th, and let Meeta know about it.
  • Mixology Monday #9 shifts gears on November 13, when the good Michael Dietsch over at A Dash of Bitters hosts the event with his chosen theme — you got it: Bitters. This, too, has a lot of promise — whether you’re a cocktail geek making your own stab at an Abbots revival, or if you’re a Campari or Amer fiend ready to thump the tub for your favorite amaro, this event should not be missed.
  • On another Monday, this time October 23, I will be hosting the virtual book tour for the release of What to Drink with What You Eat, a fantastic new book by Andrew Dornenberg and Karen Page. As the name implies, this book explores how to match food and drink, but it’s far beyond the typical food-and-wine pairing guides that seem to be everywhere. I had the good fortune to see Andrew and Karen at Tales of the Cocktail, and to experience first-hand pairings of cocktails and food, so I can attest they’ve done their homework. I’ve already received my copy of the book, and I’m really excited by the potential I see. Want more details? Stop by on October 23, or subscribe to my RSS feed so you don’t miss out.

And finally, a request — do you like the Mixology Mondays? Have you participated before, or just enjoyed reading about them as they come along? Regardless, the best way you can make these events successful is by passing the word along. Food & cocktail bloggers, feel free to grab the logo image and post the announcement on your site; everyone else, be sure to tune in. Last month was our most successful Mixology Monday yet, and to keep the momentum we need more folks alerting their readers of upcoming events.

  • The Cocktail Chronicles is part of the Cocktails & Spirits Ad Network. To advertise on this site or across a network of cocktail and spirits related weblogs, click here.
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