There are two great American bars in London. One is perfect to escape the winter chill, the other to embrace summer sun. In winter, the American Bar at the Savoy – London’s oldest surviving cocktail bar – is ideal. There is a reason why this warm and welcoming spot has courted popularity for so long and is considered the spiritual home of modern mixology, at least in this country.
In the summer months, head for the American Bar at the Stafford. There you can enjoy the large terrace just a stone’s throw from St James’s Street, where similarly skilled bar staff are able to mix up pretty much anything one desires.
You know you’re in a great American bar when the bartenders are able to sling together on-menu or off-menu mixes while maintaining good conversation. As it becomes harder to see a doctor, a visit to a well-trained barman becomes even more worthwhile.
While the English have historically mixed spirits with soda or tonic, American bartenders pioneered mixed drinks, often incorporating citrus and bitters. The transatlantic alliance exists, or did, to share genius between two nations – but it turns out we have an Englishman fleeing Prohibition America to thank for some of the best cocktails still enjoyed today.
After an evening on the Silver Bullets, you’ll need a pick-me-up. Enter the Corpse Reviver No. 2
A century ago, one would have found Harry Craddock serving as head barman in the Savoy. Born in England, he moved to and then back from New York. In 1930, he distilled his wisdom into the Savoy Cocktail Book, featuring famous drinks such as the White Lady and Sidecar.
While there is certainly joy in heading into town for a drink, sometimes – quite often in my case – one wants to be able to indulge at home. So I wanted to share with readers two cocktails I have been enjoying in recent weeks, both of which can be found in Craddock’s compendium and, crucially, are easy to make at home.
If we are to overcome the tyranny of the spritz, then an end-of-week cocktail must be simple to make. Here I suggest the Silver Bullet. Rumoured to have been a favourite of Prince Philip, it is more interesting than a gin and tonic, and more refreshing than a classic negroni. A bonus is that, owing to its simplicity, it is easy to produce if one is hosting people for dinner. Mix two parts gin, one part Kummel and one part fresh lemon juice to achieve the elixir. My preference is to use Mentzendorff Kummel, which allows the lemon to cut through the aniseed and caraway. The result is something like a martini but with a herbal, almost spicy, aftertaste. One Silver Bullet is invariably followed by another.
After an evening on them, you’ll need a pick-me-up. Enter the Corpse Reviver No. 2, also credited to the Savoy’s American Bar. This is a more complex drink but it still offers refreshment. Start by mixing equal parts fresh lemon juice, Lillet Blanc, Cointreau and gin, then go to the very back of your cabinet and find the absinthe. Add a dash then shake.
From a crisp and tart start, it ends dry and lightly bitter. Despite its name I have found it makes a very good pre-dinner drink for its ability to cleanse the palate. But be warned – as Craddock put it, ‘four of these taken in swift succession will unrevive the corpse again’.
Craddock died 63 years ago. Despite the Savoy Cocktail Book still being in print almost a century on from its original publication, he reportedly made no money from it. He was buried in a common grave in Gunnersbury Cemetery in January 1963. If in the coming weeks you take the opportunity to enjoy these suggestions, or indeed any of the hundreds of other options to be found in his guide, consider raising a glass to his life and legacy. It’s the very least he deserves for the joy he has brought to the world.
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