A cocktail with a bittersweet taste and light citrus notes, created over a hundred years ago and is considered a classic. The drink is easy to prepare at home.
Historical information
The Bronx cocktail recipe was invented in 1899 by the legendary bartender Johnnie Solon, who worked at the Mens Bar of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, on the site of which the legendary Empire State Building is now built. The establishment was located in downtown Manhattan and was popular with bankers, brokers and lawyers who worked on the nearby Wall Street stock exchange. Visitors gave Mens Bar an unofficial name – “Bull & Bear (Bulls and Bears)”, because the bar counter flaunted a memorable figurine with bulls and bears, which symbolize the power of finance among stockbrokers.
One day Johnny Solon was approached by Traverson, the head waiter at the Waldorf Astoria, who asked him to make an unusual cocktail for a fastidious client who had doubts about the skill of the bartender. Johnny was not at a loss: he quickly mixed gin, orange juice, dry and red vermouth, then without even tasting the cocktail he gave it to the waiter. A few minutes later, Traverson returned to find out the name of the novelty that the visitor liked so much. Solon replied that the cocktail was called the Bronx, after the recently opened Bronx Zoo, where Johnny had seen rare animals.
It was one of the first cocktails with fruit juices; before, instead of juices, bartenders used liqueurs from similar fruits. In 1934, the Bronx was the third most popular among New Yorkers after Martinis and Manhattan. The drink is not directly related to the Bronx district of New York of the same name – the “homeland” of hip-hop culture.
In 1930, the old hotel was demolished and a new Waldorf Astoria was built nearby. “Mens Bar” moved there with its legendary figurine. The original Bronx cocktail can still be ordered today.
Composition and proportions:
- gin – 30 ml;
- orange juice – 15 ml;
- dry vermouth – 10 ml;
- red vermouth – 10 ml;
- ice cubes – 200 grams.
Bronx cocktail recipe
1. Mix two types of vermouth, gin and orange juice in a shaker with ice.
2. Pour the resulting mixture through a strainer (bar strainer) into a chilled glass.
3. Garnish with a piece of zest or an orange slice, if desired.
