REMIXOLOGY, DRINK, HOSPITALITY: The FLORATINI a/k/a The Bronx

The Floratini was originally The Bronx.  The Bronx is perhaps the 1st. cocktail I discovered through research.

My usual tactic for a woman asking if I have a specialty drink is to ask “Nice or nasty?”

My experience has been that most women want “nice”, which is to say sweet.  As this blog attest the Birthday drink for Women/Erica/Pink Squirrel and the Birthday Drink for Women/Kelly/Girl Scout Cookie had already filled this market niche.

Contrarian impulses do reach the liver upon special occasions. When a women asked for “nasty” I would make a cognac based drink which all too often proved to be a little much.  Indeed when a female guest spied the Hennessy bottle in my hand she would protest a bit  and thus was less than satisfied.

Although cognac is an expanding category in mixed drinks it still scares off some female drinkers.  However,  women asked for “nasty” often enough that I had to have a potion in my repertoire to serve this need.

Thus was born the Floratini.

“Classic cocktails” was Googled and The Bronx was uncovered.  Reputedly invented at the Manhattan Waldorf-Astoria in 1905 by barkeep Johnny Solon it was a variation of the Duplex; a 50/50 blend of sweet and dry vermouth with a drop of orange bitters.

However The Bronx is more closely aligned with the Orange Blossom; gin and orange juice, and remixed into the martini I remixed into the Floratini.

The technology of 1905 made squeezing fresh oranges a necessity and not a nod to freshness as refrigeration was primitive and expensive.

Following the economic and technological leap of the post WWI era  refrigeration became commonplace in the finer restaurants of the Roaring 20’s.

Following the economic and technological leap of the post-WWII era home refrigeration became commonplace.

Indeed, consuming citrus juice on a daily basis was one of the hallmarks of the emergent suburban culture.

Juice drinks gained their cachet and widespread popularity during this time.

Remixology reinvents classic cocktails for modern mouths thus the Floratini as the orange juice becomes “Florida,” which also reminds me of a friend who described Miami as “the Bronx with palm trees!”

The Floratini

2 oz. gin

3/4 oz. sweet vermouth

1/4 oz. dry vermouth

1.5 oz. orange juice

Fill a martini glass with ice water.

Fill a 24 oz. shaker with ice.

Pour all ingredients EXCEPT dry vermouth into the shaker.

Top shaker with mixing glass and shake vigorously until the frost line climbs to the top of the shaker.

Dispose of ice water and rim martini glass with sugar.

Break contents of shaker into martini glass.

Pour just a tad of dry vermouth into the Floratini with great ceremony.

Tips for shaking:  Hold the shaker in your “off” hand with the mixing glass on top.  This creates visual appeal and adds subtle showmanship to your drink as savvy guests realize you are ambidextrous.

On a more functional note the tricky part of break pouring is using the mixing glass to filter the ice fragments and this is best accomplished with your dominant hand.

The addition of the dry vermouth at the end of the creation of the cocktail is mostly for show.  Gazing lovingly at the libation before administering the final touch adds to the entertainment value for the guest.

Crucial to the presentation of the Floratini is color.  The sweet vermouth’s maroon color darkens the orange juice a shade.  The color to be painted is about that of Tropicana’s Ruby Red Grapefruit Juice.

To maximize the visual appeal place the drink directly under the spot lights that hang above many bars.

The Floratini tastes good!  Women who crave a little bite will get a sting of gin softened by the sweetness of orange juice.  The viscosity of the sweet vermouth gives a nice mouth feel that amplifies the flavor profile.

Remixology: The reinvention of classic cocktails for modern mouths.

Cheers!