Recipe:
1/2 oz. lemon juice
1/2 oz. simple syrup (sugar* and water mixed in equal parts)
1 1/2 oz. booze (Some people make it with gin, other people make it with cognac. It's traditional and therefore more correct to make it with gin, but certain cable television news hosts prefer it with cognac.)
Shake that up with ice.
Strain into a champagne glass
Top with champagne.
Lemon twist.
Fin.
*Rachel explained that her simple syrup was brown because it's Demerara syrup. Demerara sugar is raw sugar that hasn't had the molasses refined out of it. Kind of like that sugar that comes in the brown paper packets (but different).
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Thanks for the recipe, Will. But you left out one important note: "Shake that up with ice" should say "Shake that up with ice until your hand hurts."
Also I think it should be 1 1/2 oz booze, not 1/2 oz. Or maybe I just heard Maddow incorrectly.
In any case, the French 75 sounds delicious. Will have to try one this weekend.
You heard her right. I left off the 1. Fixed now. Thanks!
According to my "New American Bartender's Guide" "Some recipe books specify gin in place of cognac for this drink. It may be palatable, but it is NOT a French 75." So you have it right, Rachel. Love, love, love your cocktail moments. Sometimes it's the only thing worth watching.
too fancy
french 75 = gin and tonic with no wimpy non-alcholic mixer,
1 part good gin 2 parts champagne ahhhh
Rachel if all American age 21 have the legal right vote why is it not illegal for states to pass a law to make it more difficult for people to vote?this does not make sense to me,and why is it legal for states to make voting restrictions that favors one party over the other? I'd like to show. Helen Kern
I'm sorry my comments got deleted; I felt that I put the @!$%# in his place! Anyway, I'm a long time maddow viewer. She's the voice of the progressive mainstream!ew
A legendary French field piece noted for its mobility, rapid rate of fire, and low recoil. A product of the 19th. Century European arms race. That said; I couldn't get the Brown, Warren Senate money race to stop shelling my brains. It's giving me a creeping barrage, Rachel. What ever happened to the New Englanders? We were all taught that the rocky, hardscrabble soil of the region produced tough, iconoclastic, and above all; a clean, thrifty, and reverent people, who would, all other things being equal, always choose the low bidder. Less money in the system means less corruption, and influence pedding. If Warren should run her campaign on the differential, she makes the point manifest when she wins.
Apparently this made my mother officially like Rachel (she's a Republican, I know, I know), because this is the drink she had when she was engaged.
Of course, now she making me make it for her, but oh well...
I've never liked the taste of alcohol, but honestly Rachel, after watching you I feel like having a glass!! :)
Frugality? Yeah, we're all doing the rich man's frug.
Rachel --
Although I have tremendous respect for the public service you provide by informing us about various cocktails, and demonstrating the production of same, I just want to point out that the Martini is named after a kind of gun. Not a French 75, granted, but certainly powerful and effective.
If you have not already, but decide at some time in the future to feature a Martini (drink) for your cocktail moment, might I suggest that you endorse an original, as opposed to flavored, version of the drink. Perhaps on some story regarding purity, or an originalist interpretation of the Constitution (or human rights).
Cheers,
Brendan
"I never should have switched from Scotch to Martinis" -- Humphrey Bogart's alleged last words.
As an aging bartender, I'll pass along this bit of wisdom I learned from my father.
The French 75 is properly imbibed in groups of three. The first is for "Elevation", the second for "Distance" and the third is guaranteed to be "Right on target".
Wow, I haven't had a French 75 in over 25 years. The last time I had one, I had 2. They were both great, but I've never known a bartender who knew what I was talking about when I asked for one, so I stopped asking. THANX Rachel, for the recipe. It's in my databank now.
Hi everyone, long time viewer, first time poster; I was compelled because I noticed something about this segment nobody seems to have caught.
Rachel said she didn't get the origin of the name, I have a theory. You said the old gun was mobile, shoots fast & smooth, and delivers a powerful round. Sounds like a good name for a light, boozy drink to me!
I thought it was pretty obvious, like as in Rachel was literally doing the setup for that joke, then nothing! Ah well, the drink looks refreshing and I'll certainly try it at my earliest convenience.
I guess I'll just say too that Iove the show, keep up the great work.
Let me say as a graduate of Professional Bartenders School in Chicago [1980], that I agree with Brendan that a survey of the Martini and its many subtle, astringent, and musical variations, would make for an epic miniseries, if not a great blog. Part one: Take one and a half ounces of gin, and 1/2 oz. of Dry White Vermouth. Combine over cubed ice in a cocktail shaker, and gently stir with a bar spoon, so as not to bruise the gin. Strain into a stemmed glass, and garnish with an olive. First variation; two olives.
Ms. Maddow: Way to funny!