The historians of bibbing are seldom able to provide precise origins for the most popular drinks. It is ironically just the thing tipplers want to know. French 75 is a cocktail made from various ingredients, including champagne, gin, sugar, and lemon juice. French 75 is also known as a 75 Cocktail or simply a Soixante Quinze in French.
During World War I, an early form of French 75 was created in 1915 at the New York Bar in Paris by barman Harry MacElhone. However, this joint later became known as Harry’s New York Bar.
French 75 is named after the fast-firing 75-millimetre field gun that the French utilized during World War I. The cocktail consists of champagne, gin, sugar, and fresh lemon juice. Nevertheless, the French 75 cocktail is a lot friendlier than the name implies.
Early History
The French 75’s origin is mired in mystery.Just like several other classic drinks do. Historian David Wondrich believes the recipe for French 75 first appeared in 1927 at the height of Prohibition, as mentioned in a book called “Here’s How.” A New York humour magazine published this book.
According to Harry Craddock’s “The Savoy Cocktail Book,” the French 75 cocktail was soon immortalized in 1930. It solidified the cocktail’s spread in bars and homes worldwide.
However, it is less clear as to how French 75 was invented. It is most likely that the drink cannot be attributed to anyone. Instead, the cocktail was a simple product of experimentation. Distinguished drinkers in the 19th and early 20th centuries hold the key. A duo well-suited to lemons and sugar, they were known to combine champagne and gin. Its fate was sealed as a classic when the combination was given the French 75 moniker.
That possibly says that the first French 75s didn’t contain gin at all. Champagne and cognac are also fast friends. Moreover, some recipe books also call for cognac in place of gin. However, both spirits make an excellent French 75. Mix whichever version you prefer to savour.
French 75 Today
French 75 is a fixture in cocktail bars around the world, nowadays. It is also a favourite among fans during brunch. Alongside providing ultimate refreshment before, during, and after your breakfast or brunch, it also offers a boozy kick.
No matter whichever base spirit you choose to go with your French 75, it is one classic drink you would want to rediscover again and again.
The name is everything with drinks. Whoever invented the French 75 did not invent anything at all. What they did was give it a name. People drank spirits with sugar and bitters for a century before someone coined that cheerful word ‘cocktail.’
The Most Powerful Drink in the World
Eventually, the formula of gin or cognac, with champagne, lemon and sugar, got the nickname of the fast-firing, accurate French field gun that became an icon of victory in the coverage of World War I. It suddenly took on a new cachet. Novelist Alec Waugh took it from here and tagged French 75 as the most potent drink in the world.
