MANHATTAN

Like the city it derives its name from, this drink is one of the great classics.

I'LL TAKE A MANHATTAN...

HISTORY

Samuel J. Tilden was elected Governor of New York in 1874, and to celebrate, socialite Jenny Jerome threw a party at the Manhattan Club in New York City.

Jerome asked the bartender to create a drink for the occasion. The bartender mixed 1 1/2 ounces bourbon, 1 1/4 ounces each of sweet and dry

vermouth, and a dash of bitters. It met with Jerome’s approval and she named the drink the "Manhattan," after the club.

Jenny Jerome later earned her place in history as she later became Lady Randolph Churchill, mother of Sir Winston Churchill, one of England's most famous Prime Ministers.

The Manhattan became a classic cocktail that has survived a number of changes over the years and is presently enjoying a comeback alongside its cousin, the Martini.

TIPS ON MAKING A MANHATTAN:

Don’t be shy with the ice and make sure you shake the ingredients for at least 20 to 30 seconds. There is no shaken vs. stirred debate with a Manhattan -- always shake.

Serve your Manhattan in a Martini/cocktail glass. You can also try an old-fashioned or lowball glass (some even prefer Manhattans on the rocks).

STRAIGHT RYE vs. BOURBON vs. CANADIAN WHISKY

Most casual fans of the Manhattan will tell you that a Manhattan is a rye- or bourbon-based drink. Most would also be using the term rye to describe the many types of Canadian blended whisky. In fact, the original Manhattan was made with straight rye whisky.

Over time, many recipes that originally called for rye whisky (Manhattan, Boilermakers, Old Fashioneds) changed to Canadian whisky, as rye whisky largely disappeared during prohibition. Canadian whisky emerged as a favorite during prohibition, primarily as a result of its being smuggled into the U.S., but also due to the fact that when prohibition was repealed, Canadian distillers had product ready for U.S. consumers, while American distillers had to start the time-consuming distilling process from scratch.

Over time, the term "rye" became synonymous with Canadian whisky and as a result the Manhattan is often made with that spirit. Purists, however, search out straight rye whiskey, which does still exist (though it can be hard to find in some markets).

Many Manhattan lovers prefer bourbon in place of rye whisky. Bourbon shares many of the characteristics of rye whisky and is made the same way, with most of the same ingredients. Bourbon tends to taste a little sweeter, rye a little bitter. All three options give a Manhattan its own distinct taste and characteristics. Try all three (maybe not at the same time) and decide if the slightly sweeter bourbon, the bitter straight rye whisky, or the more subtle Canadian whisky makes your favorite Manhattan.

VERMOUTH, BITTERS AND THEIR PROPORTIONS

Now that you have a base for your drink, you need to decide which vermouth to use and how much.

Unlike the Martini, the Manhattan should not be made as dry as possible. Some Martini makers swear by just a drop or two of vermouth, but in the case of the Manhattan, vermouth is critical to giving the drink its strong and unique taste.

As a rule, Manhattans are usually made with the vermouth being one-third of the amount of whisky used (for example, 1 ½ oz of rye or bourbon to ½ oz of vermouth).

Vermouth is available in both sweet and dry versions, which gives the Manhattan maker three choices: Use sweet vermouth and you have a sweet Manhattan. Use dry vermouth and naturally you have a dry Manhattan. But add your vermouth in equal parts dry and sweet, and you have the Perfect Manhattan.

The other key ingredient is bitters. A dash of Angostura or orange bitters is key to the unique taste of a Manhattan. We suggest a dash or two, but like everything drink-related, experiment to find the perfect amount for your taste.

the GARNISH

MARASCHINO CHERRY:

The final touch is the garnish. Unlike a lot of other drinks, the Manhattan is best suited to only one garnish -- the maraschino cherry. If you find the Manhattan a little too sharp/bitter you can add a touch of the maraschino cherry juice to the mix.

Maraschino cherries, the kind most often used in drinks and on ice cream sundaes, are made from sweet cherries. The maraschino cherry originated in Yugoslavia and northern Italy, where merchants added a liqueur to a local cherry called the "Marasca." This cherry product was imported to the U.S. in the 1890s as a delicacy to be used in the country's finest restaurants and hotels. In 1896, U.S. cherry processors began experimenting, using a domestic sweet cherry called the Royal Anne. Less liqueur was used in processing and almond oil was substituted for some of the liqueur. Finally, the liqueur was eliminated altogether. By 1920, the American maraschino cherry was so popular that it had replaced the foreign variety in the United States.
(Source: Cherry Marketing Institute)