Old Cocktails: Manhattan (Paris Edition)

Back in the day, when I was living in Paris, I came across this drink. I was making my living by pretending to be a swami, bilking tourists and millionaires out of their “hard earned” cash while telling them “futures” which turned out to be “eerily accurate”. Of course, since I told most of them that they would be robbed blind and might end up dead, and the whole thing was a front for a band of robbers, the accuracy was more my way of trying to warn them and less powers from the darkest reaches.

One of the people who helped arrange clients for me to talk to was a young Italian named Josephine Tutaunt. Why an Italian girl was going around with a faux French name evades me to this day, but as I was calling my self Gregor DiCinzo, I can’t really complain. The recipe I am about to divulge is the one I remember best because it was the one Josephine liked to sip between… things we did in her little Pigalle apartment.

It was not like I had never had a Manhattan before, it being a fairly well known mixer, but the way the young lady in question made them was divine. Normally and properly, it’s supposed to be Kentucky Bourbon, Italian Vermouth and Angostura Bitters with a maraschino cherry dropped in with a bit of the syrup. However, nothing Josephine did was either normal or proper, that was my favorite thing about her. Her way of making them went as such…

4 Measures Irish Whiskey
2 Measures Vermouth
2 Drops Angostura Bitters
2 Drop Lemon Bittrs
1/2 Measure Grenadine
1 fresh strawberry (sliced in half)

Put the whiskey, vermouth, bitters and grenadine into a mixing glass with ice. Stir with a bar spoon while promising your current plaything all the enjoyment they’re about to have. Strain into two Cordial Glasses and drop the strawberries into the drinks. Drink slowly, paying special attention to remove the strawberry from the glass using only your tongue. Make passionate and continual love until another drink is required.

Serves two. If you have more than one plaything waiting, increase the amounts accordingly.