July 4th Cocktails - The 1920

Last week, I happened by White Star, a fairly new cocktailian (and absinthe-centric) lounge that's right across the street from our apartment - at 21 Essex - and that's Essex Street just after the trees in the photo, looking west from our kitchen window.

Asking the tender for a "Manhattan-like" cocktail, he (Kelvin) was kind enough to stir me up a 1920 cocktail - and it made my night. I'd never had one before, and since K. was nice enough to share the formula with me, I got to make one at home to celebrate the 4th.

Actually, I liked it so much that I immediately had to share it with friends of mine. Jude and Jeff, whom I've posted about before, really enjoy their cocktails. I shot an email off to them, and they tried it and liked it so much, that Jude blogged about it too! As she writ:


The “1920” is a hook up between a Manhattan and a Sazerac and the recipe goes like this: 2 parts rye, 1 part sweet vermouth, absinthe rinse in the glass and a dash or so of orange bitters, stirred, never shaken.

And that's what it is. The absinthe rinse is what separates that 1920 from a Manhattan. Here are a couple of tips to make an excellent cocktail:

1) It's always good to keep your cocktail and mixing glasses in the freezer. It's really good.

2) To "rinse" is just to pour a teaspoon or so of spirit into the frozen cocktail glass (in this case, absinthe), swirl it around and pour what's left into the sink. It leaves just a hint of spirit in the glass, and is a great technique. Do this right before pouring your cocktail.

3) Lots of cracked ice in that mixing glass. Stir the shit out of it.

4) Enjoy rather quickly - (as you should all cocktails.) No matter where you are, it's a damn good drink.