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The appearance of the White Lady cocktail is very deceptive. Outwardly elegant and seasoned in the most feminine tones, it has a unique ability to intoxicate literally from a couple of glasses. This is a classic aperitif, short drink – a cocktail of small volume, which should be drunk in small sips. Nevertheless, his fortress is by no means small, about 35%. This cocktail has been on the bar list of the International Bartending Association for a long time, which means that every self-respecting bartender should be able to cook the right White Lady.
Cocktail recipe White lady (aperitif, short drink)
Innings:
- cocktail glass (martinka);
Ingredients:
- Xnumx gin ml;
- 30 ml orange liqueur (Cointreau or Triple Sec);
- 20 ml lemon juice.
Preparation:
- pour all the ingredients into a shaker (an article about shakers can be found here) and add ice;
- beat well and pour the finished drink through a strainer into a glass;
- Garnish with a slice of lemon or a slice of orange zest.
I took this recipe from the IBA website, that is, it is authentic and currently relevant. However, this is not the only recipe that has changed several times over the past century. While you prepare this insidious drink and sit down at the computer again, I will tell you about the history of the cocktail, as well as tell you alternative recipes for the White Lady.
History and alternative recipes of the White Lady cocktail
Where the best White Lady is prepared, and at the same time is considered the official drink of the establishment, you decide: whether it will be Parisian Harry’s New York Bar or London American Bar at the Savoy Hotel. The cocktail was presumably authored by Irishman Harry McElhone, who began serving the first version of the cocktail at London’s Ciro’s in 1919. In the first edition of his Harry’s ABC of mixing cocktails, McElhone quoted the following recipe:
- 1/3 part of White Creme de Menthe liqueur (white mint liqueur);
- 1/3 part Cointreau (orange liqueur);
- 1/3 part lemon juice.
Later, in the third edition of ABC of Mixing Cocktails from 1925, the White Lady was prepared according to the following recipe:
- 4/6 parts of Cointreau liqueur;
- 1/6 part of brandy;
- 1/6 part of White Creme de Menthe liqueur.
This tougher recipe is also mentioned in the books “Cocktails by Jimmy late of Ciro’s” (probably 1930) and “Barflies and Cocktails” by the same Harry McElhone from 1927. Later, in 1929, when McElhone returned from New York to Paris, becoming an employee of Harry’s New York Bar (to this day one of the best bars in France), the mint liqueur was replaced by gin. However, don’t be surprised when in one of the London bars you will be served the White Lady with mint and cognac flavor – this means that the bartender follows the old classics, and has not forgotten how to cook =).
Fyodor Yevsevsky, author of the excellent Bartender Bible, also mentioned in one of his articles that London’s Lonsdale bar still serves the very first cocktail with mint liqueur, Cointreau and lemon juices in equal proportions. I also found information that the modern cocktail was suggested by the bartender of the legendary Savoy Bar, Harry Creddock. Both bartenders worked in New York prior to Prohibition and may have crossed paths. It’s hard to say how things are actually there, but the modern variation of the White Lady (the very first recipe in this article), in my humble opinion, is the most ideal.
See you soon at the Rum Diary. Now I have a lot of work, so I rarely write articles. I’ll try to speed up soon. The New Year is coming soon, which means that you need to prepare a festive table. Do not get lost, subscribe to updates, comment. A festive table with Romov will be the best =).