Ounces of Hangover Prevention

I recently found this 1934 ad, above, for Martini & Rossi Vermouth. What captured my attention was the neat little cocktail setup with those frosted cocktail glasses (which, by the way, were available at Bergdorf's). I'm not used to seeing Martinis and Manhattans served in thick, stemless glasses like those in the ad, and I have to say that they're not what I would use when serving cocktails. I can only imagine that the cocktail would become warm if the glass was held for any length of time.

One nice thing about the glasses, though, was that they were the proper size for a cocktail. Back during the 1930s and 40s, cocktail glasses were small and light enough that you could hold the stem using just a few fingers. Not anymore. Cocktail and martini glasses today are enormous, as big as Alfie's head, in fact! And they require a whole hand grip, too. The problem with these large glasses is that they hold too much cocktail. The urge is to fill these big glasses with enough cocktail so as not to appear chintzy. Only problem is that by the time you finish your drink, you've had the equivalent of two cocktails- not a good thing if you're serving drinks before dinner.

Ideally, a cocktail glass should hold between 4.5 and 5 ounces of liquid. While it's worth seeking out vintage cocktail glasses for both their jazzy designs and their economical sizes, there are, fortunately, some new collections that include correctly sized glasses too. William Yeoward's glassware is never super-sized, but that might be because he's British. His new American Bar collection is quite handsome and affordable too. But if you insist on drinking from those monster 12 oz. glasses, fine. Just don't blame me in the morning.






William Yeoward's Greta glassware includes a 5 oz. martini glass.






William Yeoward's Vesta glasses are the appropriate sizes for the beverages they were designed to hold, including martinis and champagne. (These are not, by the way, part of the new American Bar collection.)







C. 1930 Mappin & Webb set of cocktail glasses, available through Foundwell.

William Yeoward's American Bar

I'm rather meek when it comes to mixing cocktails at home. A French 75 or a Gin Fizz is about as wild and crazy as it gets. However, my attitude towards mixology has completely changed thank to a very entertaining new book, William Yeoward's American Bar. (The title refers to the high-style bars of London and Paris during the 1920s and 30s, often referred to as "American bars" because of the cocktail craze that began on our shores.)

Yeoward's book is a compilation of cocktail recipes conjured up by the bartenders at five of Yeoward's favorite London watering holes: The Connaught Bar; Annabel's; Beaufort Bar at The Savoy; American Bar at The Savoy; and Berkeley Blue Bar. With names like Smoked Old-Fashioned, Fleurissimo, and Hanky Panky, these cocktails are no ordinary drinks. Rather, they are creatively crafted drinks made from all kinds of intriguing ingredients like Punt e Mes vermouth, celery bitters, or jasmine pearl tea.

Now, it's the exotic sounding ingredients that might give you pause. Initially, they did to me as well since I don't have things like celery bitters sitting on my bar. But the book's gorgeous photographs of cocktails in glamorous settings were enough to convince me to try my hand at some of these recipes. And Yeoward's writing is so upbeat and enthusiastic, you will want to make more than a few of these cocktails.

The bonus to this book is the last section in which Yeoward lists his favorite cocktails to serve to his guests, and these drinks you'll probably recognize: Margarita; Gin Sling; Whiskey Sour. These recipes are a nice addition because sometimes you just want to serve a drink that's easy to make. There are also some wonderful canape recipes as well as photographs of Yeoward's preferred party glasses. (As would be expected of a man whose crystal and glassware is coveted by so many of us, Yeoward has an enviable collection of drinkware.)

If you love cocktails and enjoy entertaining, or if you're simply a fan of William Yeoward, then I highly recommend that you consider this book for your collection. The book would make a great gift for friends or family, too.

Visit The Peak of Chic Entertains today to read the book's recipe for a Connaught Martini.




Fleurissimo




Annabel's Special




Costa Esmeralda




Princess Ida




Ramos Fizz


All photos from William Yeoward's American Bar by William Yeoward; Cico Books, 2012; Gavin Kingcome photographer.