The Apple Jack Rabbit Cocktail
1 Hooker of Applejack. (1 1/2 oz Laird’s Bonded Apple Brandy)
The Juice of 1 Lemon. (1 oz Lemon Juice)
The Juice of 1 Orange. (2 oz Fresh Orange Juice)
1 Hooker of Maple Syrup. (1 1/2 oz Maple Syrup)
Shake well and strain into cocktail glass.
This is a somewhat odd recipe for a few reasons. First, it uses the archaic measure “hooker”. A hooker, as far as I can tell, refers more to a particular type of glass than anything else. It is a small glass which holds a single shot of alcohol. The sort of glass you’d get on the side with a boilermaker.
Second, this recipe has an ungodly amount of maple syrup in it. I really have no idea how it would be remotely drinkable as written above. Maybe maple syrup was different in the 1920s?
Third, it is really large for a drink from this time. No way over 5 oz of liquid is fitting into a cocktail glass. In the picture above, I’ve scaled it down and still had a hard time fitting it in the glass. I’d suggest a double old-fashioned glass.
After all that, though, if you cut back the maple syrup and juice, this is a pretty good cocktail, especially with fresh juice.
In his book, “The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks,” David A. Embury suggests the following:
6 part Apple Jack (1 1/2 oz)
1 part Lemon Juice (1/4 oz)
1 part Orange Juice (1/4 oz)
1 part Maple Syrup (1/4 oz)
I’m sure that’s fine, but it’s getting a bit too far from the original ratios of the drink for me.
The ratio I used was:
1 1/2 oz Laird’s Bonded Apple Brandy
3/4 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
1 oz Fresh Orange Juice
1/2 oz Maple Syrup
Pretty tasty, and I think cuts a nice mid-way path between the candy coated nightmare of the original and the rather austere Embury version.
This post is one in a series documenting my ongoing effort to make all of the cocktails in the Savoy Cocktail Book, starting at the first, Abbey, and ending at the last, Zed.
I just discovered this cocktail and I like it! It is on the menu at Marzano in Oakland.
I’d be curious to know what recipe they’re using! Heck, I didn’t even know Marzano had a full liquor license.
Here’s the recipe I used at Marzano: 1 1/2 oz Laird’s Applejack, 1/2 oz each lemon and orange juice, 1/2 oz maple syrup and some homemade abbotts bitters (I know there are no bitters in the original recipe, but it really brings out the apple).
Say hey next time you’re by Marzano.
Excellent! I’ll send the recipe on to Jane, thanks.
And I’ll drop you a note if I am in your neck of the woods.
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