French 75

French 75

Christine came into town last weekend without Charles in a counter move to his “man weekend” a few weeks ago in the mountains of Western Pennsylvania.  She requested that we have a weekend that would be, “some sort of spoof on staying up late, not showering, drinking massive quantities of light beer, playing video games and having chili made from the last of the previous season’s wild game kill.”  Of course, I quickly agreed.  For our Friday cocktail hour, we had a delicious round of French 75s.  Somehow, these became our go-to drink over the summer, probably because we always seem to have a little gin on hand, as well as a sack full of lemons, and a jar of simple syrup.  Though they are elegant and not terribly difficult to make, they pack a wallop (mostly due to the secret ingredient:  drinkablility), so be careful. 

There are some good stories about the origin of the drink and its original formulation (some say it was first made with cognac), so it’s worth reading the lore surrounding it.   
 
Enjoy, before it gets too chilly; they are incredibly refreshing.      
In a shaker or small pitcher, combine:
2 tablespoons simple syrup
2 ounces of gin
1 ounce of fresh lemon juice
A few ice cubes
 
Shake or stir until cold, then strain into two flute glasses.  Fill with chilled champagne or other sparkling wine.  Garnish with a twist.