Cocktail Historian David Wondrich Talks Shop This Week on Good Food

This week on Good Food, Evan catches up with David Wondrich to discuss the updated and revised edition of his cocktail tome, IMBIBE! Here’s the recipe for the Southern American take on the martini, the San Martín, from the oldest Argentine Cocktail book – and it’s a good one (OK, they all are, but still).

San Martín Cocktail

(EN UN VASO DE REFRESCO COLÓQUESE TROZOS H E HIELO CRISTALINO.)

ADJUNTESE:

3 GOTAS LICOR CHERRI BRANDI

2 GOTAS MARASCHINO DE ZARA

2 GOTAS ORANGE BITTER

½ VASITO OLD TOM GIN SUMNER

½ VASITO VERMOUTH CINZANO

Muévase suavemento y sírvase con fruta de estación.

(PUT CRACKED ICE IN A TALL TUMBLER.)

ADD:

3 DROPS (1 TSP) CHERRY BRANDY

2 DROPS (½ TSP) MARASCHINO DE ZARA

2 DROPS (1 DASH) ORANGE BITTERS

½ GLASS (1 ½ OZ) OLD TOM GIN SUMNER

½ GLASS (1 ½ OZ) VERMOUTH CINZANO

Stir smoothly and serve with fruit in season.

Source: B. Iglesias, El Arte del Cocktelero, 1911.

Notes on Ingredients: Cherry Heering works fine; for the maraschino, use Luxardo, formerly of Zara. For the Old Tom, you’ve got choices. You’ll want a clear one here for authenticity, but they’ll all make a fine drink.

Notes on Execution: This recipe is unusual in serving it in the glass it’s mixed in. Better, and more orthodox, to stir it in a mixing glass and strain it into a Cocktail glass. The fruit in season was soon superseded by the fruit that knows no season, the maraschino cherry.