The Manhattan - by Mandy Huffaker
It's been called "The King of Cocktails". It has been featured in hundreds of movies, books and television programs. It was the cocktail shaken in a hot-water bottle in "Some Like It Hot". It was the final cocktail imbibed on the final episode of "Sex in the City". Frank Sinatra made it famous. Bart Simpson made it for the Mafia. It actually holds the distinction of being one of the six basic drinks in David Embury's seminal bar manual, "The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks". It also is the first drink I learned how to make, at the age of seven, for my grandfather, who apparently recognized my avocation long before anyone else (miss you, Papa).
It is the Manhattan. Allow me to wax poetic for one moment: it is cocktail perfection. Beautiful in the glass, simple in garnish, the Manhattan achieves the right balance between smokiness and astrigency, sweetness and bitterness. It is, quite possibly, my favorite cocktail. I can actually taste it now...amber-hued and duskily sweet, sophisticated, for sure, but with a sense of humor...how else does one explain the lone maraschino cherry?
The legend of the birth of the Manhattan features a bit of name-dropping. Not every reference seems to agree on the origin, but a clear majority puts forth the following story: Apparently Lady Randolph Churchill (yes, Winston's mum) got involved in American politics. The presidential hopeful she was backing in 1870 was a man by the name of Samuel Tilden (if I have to tell you that he was the losing candidate, you should have a talk with your grade school history teacher). She threw a banquet at the Manhattan Club, and supposedly the drink was invented there.
It's not a difficult recipe; on the contrary, it follows an old agreed-upon formula for creating a cocktail: two parts liquor to one part flavoring agent. In the case of the Manhattan, the liquor is bourbon whiskey and the flavoring agent is sweet vermouth (commonly seen in recipes as "Cinzano", but that's a brand name). The only variation from the 2:1 recipe is that a tiny amount (I use three dashes at Sly's) of Angostura bitters is added just before pouring. The Manhattan may be served up (in a cocktail glass) or on the rocks. The only garnish is one maraschino cherry. I prefer to remove the stem and just place the cherry in the bottom of the cocktail glass, pouring the drink over it. Some bartenders will add a little of the cherry liquid into the drink; try to discourage them. It makes the drink far too sweet and detracts from the balance of spice in the orginal cocktail. One of the best parts of the Manhattan is munching the cherry after the drink is gone. After marinating in that bourbon and vermouth, the cherry is a boozy little bonbon.
One thing I've noticed about the Manhattan since coming to work at Sly's is that it is one of the cocktails that pairs well with a steak. Something about the smoky quality of the bourbon is accentuated by a nicely grilled filet of beef. Additionally, the simplicity of flavors in the cocktail don't overwhelm the elemental "beefy" flavor of a great steak. It sort of makes one feel like a member of an old club--a classic "macho" combo. What is interesting, though, is that the fastest-growing segment of cocktail enthusiasts drinking Manhattans are women. I think it satisfies a thirst for something slightly sweet, but it is never cloying or gimmicky. There's a certain sensuality to that unadorned glass of auburn liquid with the red globe of a cherry, like a setting sun, waiting in the bottom of the glass.
So come on into Sly's and let me make you a Manhattan. Better yet, come in just as the sun is setting and watch the sky turn pink and the sun sink low, like the cherry in your glass. Don't worry...I'll make sure your drink is cold and your steak is hot. It's been a long day...you deserve it.
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