The French 75 has star quality!
Can a cocktail be glamorous? We think so. Whether celebrating an end of summer soiree or entertaining for the holidays, a French 75 is a sipper perfect for all occasions. This year-round cocktail is as timeless as a little black dress and just as effortless.
A mixture of gin, lemon and champagne, the French 75 is effervescent and a bit flirtatious, much like Humphrey Bogart’s character, Rick, in Casablanca, in which he sips the classic while playing the piano. While the name has a certain je ne sais quoi and its origin dates to the roaring ’20s, the provenance of the French 75 comes from weaponry.
Like most cocktails, true creation is a mystery. One story holds that British soldiers stationed in Paris put together what was at their disposal: British gin and French champagne. Another contends that French officers mixed cognac and champagne, and named the drink in honor of the field guns that packed a wallop. Barman Harry MacElhone of Harry’s New York Bar in Paris claimed he concocted it and named it for its powerful kick. One thing we do know: The namesake is the iconic Canon de 75mm Modèle 1897, the first modern artillery field gun.
The floral and herbaceous nature of gin pairs flawlessly with tart lemon and bubbly champagne, making the French 75 a drink that has stood the test of time. Peruse the menu of a quality bar program and you’ll find it under “classics,” but there are enough iterations to make taste testing at different establishments a sparkling experiment.
A sophisticated yet simple French 75 is a fitting cocktail for Michelin- starred Bacchanalia’s pioneering farm-to-table fine dining. Bartenders temper sweetness in the Bitter French, adding Campari to gin and lemon before topping off with champagne bubbles. It sips like a Negroni and a French 75 progeny, and gets a subtle pink color from the vibrant Italian bitter liqueur.
A French 75 just feels right while enjoying the brasserie experience on the airy patio at Bistro Niko. Locally made Blended Family Triple Sec, a blend of Florida oranges, bitter orange peel and orange blossoms, mixes with fruity English gin and fresh lemon juice, and finishes with sparkling Blanc de Blanc. It’s a recipe that fits perfectly with the creation tale of English soldiers melding their home gin with France’s bubbly.
Beverage director Julian Goglia ups the lemon in the Painted Pickle’s French 75 with a bright and a sunny oleo-saccharum barkeeps have been making for centuries. Combine lemon peels with sugar, and the overnight process extracts the fruit’s oils, lending an elegant citrus flavor and aroma to concoctions. Bubbles carry the lemony perfume to your senses, which could be experiencing the gamut of food, games and sports at the vast entertainment venue.
In the quaint Anis Cafe and Bistro nestled in Garden Hills, barkeeps stir up botanical gin, lemon juice and petite canne (cane syrup) before pouring an ample floater of champagne. It’s lifting and lemony, perfect for lingering on the delightful patio.
Buckhead’s Red Phone Booth stirs up the version most French. Streams of bubbles rise to the surface of the shaken cognac and lemon juice before being strained into a coupe. Cognac adds a little heft to the drink as opposed to cleaner, more refreshing gin. It’s a smart way to switch up a classic for cooler evenings.
ANIS CAFE & BISTRO
anisecafebistro.com
@anisebistro
BACCHANALIA
starprovisions.com
@starprovisions
BISTRO NIKO
bistroniko.com
@bistroniko
PAINTED PICKLE
paintedpickle.com
@rpaintedpickleatl
RED PHONE BOOTH
redphonebooth.com
@rpbbuckhead
