Classic Cocktails: The Horses Neck

A seasonally cool wind blows, you think to yourself: sweater or jacket? Fact or fiction September often symbolizes the shift from summer to fall. While it is a gradual change it is a widely accepted shift in culture. Gone are the carefree days of summer and life has taken on a more serious tone. Back to school, back to structure, back to business.

I have heard the argument more than once that people do not eat seasonally; they simply eat what they want. Our wants and desires change, I think everyone can agree to that. Sure we all want comfort, but sometimes comfort is a light cotton shirt, other times it is a warm hand-knit sweater.   With a passion for food and drink as strong as I have drinking seasonally has also become a characteristic of mine, and September signifies wood in my glass. Being a slow evolution I still keep some hint of the summer seasons’ fruit and that is why brandy is being poured more often than not this month.

A cocktail that really showcases this shift is one from the 1890’s that was originally a soft drink of sorts. The Horses Neck, now a highly regarded highball cocktail was once a simple blend of lemon peel, ice and ginger ale. According to several sources, by 1910 there were kickers of bourbon or brandy that had made their way to the table, and eventually right into the glass.

Ingredients:

4 oz. ginger ale

1.5 oz. brandy

2 dashes Angostura bitters.

Directions:

Fill a highball glass with ice.

Pour all ingredients into glass and stir.

Garnish with a large lemon peel, Serve.

A cocktail that looks backwards with the lemon and foreword with the wood is well suited to the changing of the guard this September.