Harlem Blossom

@ 7-to-1:
- Trader Vic's Bartender's Guide. Garden City; Victor Bergeron, 1972
- Jones' Complete Barguide. Los Angeles; Stan Jones, 1977

This drink was almost surely first made in the late 1920's or early 1930’s. It may well have been the intended entry, apparently missing, before the “Harlem #2” in the World Drinks Company book of 1934.

Both erroneously called 'cocktails' at the time, the Monkey Gland Blossom, and the Harlem Blossom, were associated with the Cotton Club – and the phenomenon of New Yorkers from other parts of Manhattan going to Harlem for an evening out during Prohibition.

That phenomenon went into decline as a result of Repeal late in the year 1933. Alcohol no longer needed to be sought out. It was everywhere.

Racial tension in Harlem after the 1935 riots cast a pall over what remained of the Cotton Club's business model. The original location on Lenox Avenue in Harlem was closed in 1936. Re-establishment in other areas, and countries, has been attempted, but there is no longer the Cotton Club in New York.

Short Script

¾ fl-oz. pineapple juice
⅛ jigger crème marasquin
⅞ jigger dry gin

Shake with ice. Finely-strain into a chilled claret goblet. Garnish with a skewered cherry.

Full Recipe

Have the folowwing items:

Service-ware

5½ fl-oz. glass claret goblet
garniture skewer
#1: stainless steel, with spiral^*
4-inch beverage napkin
#1: cotton (five times washable)^*
#2: linen-feel paper^*

Tools

fetcher spoon
#1: stainless steel, with hole^*
28 fl-oz. and 18 fl-oz. shaker and cheater set
#1: stainless steel, fitted^*
jigger-and-pony measure
[2 fl-oz. by 1 fl-oz. / ~60 ml. by ~30 ml.]
#1: stainless double-bell^*
#2: twentieth century-style^*
#3: Japanese-style^*
3-to-1 split pony
[¾ fl-oz. by ¼ fl-oz. / ~22.5 ml. by ~7.5 ml.]
#1: Liberty Ware^™ Jig-1434
ice scoop
#1: steel with drain holes^*
Hawthorne strainer
#1: short-tailed steel^*
mesh strainer (3” to 4”)
#1: rustproof stainless^*

Ingredients

preserved cherries
#1: Luxardo^™ Marasche^*
#2: Penninsula^™ Premium American Cherries^*
pineapple juice
(freshly-pressed is often best)
dry gin
#1: Broker's^™ London Dry Gin
#2: Ford's^™ London Dry Gin
#3: Seagram's^™ Distiller's Reserve Gin
crème marasquin (or Italian maraschino)
#1: Luxardo^™ Maraschino Originale
#2: Briottet^™ Crème Marasquin
method ice (also called 'cracked ice')
(half the size of service ice)
#1: mold for ~half-ounce cubes^*

Instructions

Chill the claret goblet.
Use the fetcher spoon to help skewer a preserved cherry most the length through and reserve it.
Set the shaker in the work area. Into it goes:

• pineapple juice — ¾ ponyfull
[¾ fl-oz. / ~22.5 ml.]

Set the jigger-&-pony in the work area with the jigger side up. Into it goes (using the ¼ pony measure for the first ingredient):
- • crème marasquin — ⅛ jiggerfull
  [¼ ponyfull / ¼ fl-oz. / ~7.5 ml.]
- • dry gin — fill - being ⅞ jiggerfull
  [1¾ poniesfull / 1¾ fl-oz. / ~52.5 ml.]
Pour the above combined jiggerfull of liquor into the shaker.
Set the chilled, empty goblet in the work area.
Take the shaker to the ice. Into it is added:

• method ice — ¾ fill

Set the shaker back in the work area.
Seal the shaker with the cheater.
Shake the ingredients very hard for nine seconds to mix, chill-dilute and aerate.
Unseal the shaker.
Fit the Hawthorne strainer into the shaker.
Hold the mesh strainer in the other hand over the goblet.
Finely-strain the drink (through both strainers) into the goblet.
Garnish the drink with:

• preserved cherry (reserved in step #2) — 1
(placed in the drink with the handle or knob of the skewer on the rim).

Serve the drink on the napkin.

* When using Amazon links from this site, a very small fraction might be paid to Elemental Mixology without affecting the purchase price.