5 Ingredients or Fewer

The name “French 75” refers to the most deadly and accurate artillery piece of World War I: the 75-mm field gun. Some credit WWI French-American flying ace Raoul Lufbery as the creator, who poured a little cognac into his beloved champagne for added kick. Other recipes list gin as the main ingredient in what is basically a Tom Collins with champagne instead of club soda. This recipe is first seen in The Savoy Cocktail Book; author Harry Craddock notes that it “hits with remarkable precision.” Across the pond, the French 75 was made popular at New York’s infamous Stork Club, which opened during Prohibition and survived into the 1960s. Looking back at the historical cocktail record, it seems most likely that this cocktail began as the gin version, then makers shifted to cognac in order to make the drink a bit more French.

By the time Sex in the City featured Carrie and the Cosmo, we were already killing this contemporary cocktail during our tenure at Pravda in the late 1990s. Our recipe stood out in the world of popular downtown nightlife destinations as the hallmark of what a Cosmopolitan should be; light pink and citrusy, with ice shards and foam surrounding a flamed orange peel. Although it speaks to trendy fashionistas, when made properly the Cosmopolitan can be a tasty libation. Clubs and marketing agencies later bastardized this drink with Rose’s lime juice, cheap triple sec, and enough cranberry juice to cure a bladder infection.

This cocktail is an Employees Only variation on the Champagne Cocktail (page 56). In champagne production, when the pinot noir skins are left to touch the juice, they add color and a soft touch of tannins. The result is some of the best aperitif wine available: rosé champagne. Other sparkling wine producers emulate this with rosé varietals, most notably the Spanish with Cava. These wines are truly magnificent, and their affordability makes them very suitable for mixed drinks. Cava rosé has a body and level of dryness ideal for adding sugar, bitters, and Campari to create a sultry variation on the classic Champagne Cocktail. This cocktail is very sexy and inviting and makes a superb aperitif, as well as a great choice for pairing with antipasti, mezes, tapas, or seafood appetizers.

The majesty of cocktails, the Martini is the most iconic mixed drink in the world. The name itself conjures up an image of the V-shaped cocktail glass with an olive resting in its depth. There is much debate about the origin of this drink. What is not in question is that this cocktail has evolved over time. Its simplicity is an illusion: the dry Martini takes years to master. The clear stillness and serenity of the final drink is an expression of the years of skill and experience of the person stirring it, and the proper execution of this cocktail is an exercise in honing the craft of cocktail making.

The Americano is the quintessential Italian aperitivo. When it was first created at Gaspare Campari’s bar in Milan in the 1860s, it was named Milano-Torino for its two main ingredients: Campari from Milan and Cinzano from Turin. The drink quickly became popular as an afternoon quencher at outdoor caffès in the Italian piazzas. The name changed during Prohibition due to the mass of thirsty American tourists who fell in love with it. Some fifty years later, this drink would inspire one of the most fantastic aperitifs ever: the Negroni (page 42). It is little noted that the Americano is the first cocktail that James Bond orders in Ian Fleming’s first novel Casino Royale, long before he orders a Martini.

Whether or not this drink is truly an ancestor of today’s Dry Gin Martini (with which it has little in common), it is a great model in the cocktail fossil record because it showcases how certain ingredients were used before the twentieth century: back in the day, maraschino liqueur and orange Curaçao were two cordials used interchangeably (depending on availability) as sweeteners in cocktails. Vermouth was always sweet Italian red vermouth; French or dry vermouth were not popular in cocktail making until the end of the nineteenth century. Legend says this drink was named for the small Northern California town where a Gold Rush miner ordered “one for the road” before heading for the hills.

This EO original aperitif (see photo) was inspired by the Negroni cocktail (page 42). It is a great example of how elegant and complex three liquids blended in a cocktail can be. Its rich flavors come from amaro, which we use in place of Campari, and Punt e Mes, in place of traditional sweet vermouth. Amaro is a bitter Italian digestif made from herbs and plants; for the Nerina, we prefer Meletti amaro, which has a beautiful spice profile with lingering notes of cinnamon, but is light on caramel compared to other amaros. Punt e Mes is a highly bittersweet aromatized wine, considered by some to be the original of Italian vermouth. Combined and blended with gin, the ingredients create a cocktail of simple sophistication. The name is a nod to the classic Negroni cocktail. Being a dark-hued drink, Nerina comes from nera, the feminine Italian word for black.

In the mythology of classic mixology, the Martinez is purported to be the predecessor to the Dry Gin Martini. When we researched the original version of this cocktail, though, we saw very little resemblance to what people today refer to as a Martini. In an act of artistic interpretation, we devised a recipe to be the “missing link” to articulate the evolution of these two iconic cocktails. In doing so, we created a more dry—and more exciting—flavor profile than that of the original Martinez. Our missing link provides an experience with a beginning, middle, and finish that lingers, leaving you craving more. This is best achieved with the combination of Beefeater 24 gin, accents of maraschino liqueur, and the super velvetiness of Dolin Blanc vermouth. Finally, our own homemade Absinthe Bitters round it out and add incredible depth. This drink has been offered on our aperitif menu since we opened Employees Only. It goes great with raw oysters or raw bar of any kind and works well with summery salads and seared scallops.

Most people today understand a Manhattan to be bourbon whiskey with a dash of vermouth, shaken or stirred—little more than a nice way to order a big shot of whiskey. Only recently have people once again acknowledged the necessity of bitters in the recipe. What happened? Prohibition all but annihilated rye whiskey production in this country; by the end of World War II, America had embraced Canadian whiskies as rye, even though most are made of a blend of grains. When we first began bartending, it was common for Manhattans to be made with Seagram’s VO or Crown Royal. But in the early 1990s, bartenders making Manhattans gravitated toward newly released single-barrel and small-batch bourbons to meet the expectations of the luxury crowd. As with Martinis, these customers demanded only a whisper of vermouth so as not to destroy the precious whiskey. Our recipe is an excellent expression of a Manhattan made with soft-natured bourbon. Rye whiskey makes a sharp, racy alternative. As for cherries, keep clear of the big artificial ones floating in eerie red dye. Pit fresh cherries and soak them for a few days in amaretto or cherry liqueur instead.

The Manhattan cocktail we serve is not to be confused with the contemporary Manhattan. This recipe first appeared in the latter part of the nineteenth century and is referenced in later editions of How to Mix Drinks or the Bon Vivant’s Companion as well as Harry Johnson’s 1882 Bartenders’ Manual. This forgotten formula has a higher ratio of sweet vermouth to rye whiskey, with an accent of orange Curaçao and Boker’s bitters, served straight up with a lemon twist. Cherries in Manhattans came later as the mixture evolved into a different cocktail. The subtle mingling of flavors in this version illustrates an older style of drink making. Of course, as with any epic cocktail, there are several conflicting stories about its origins. Our favorite version has Winston Churchill’s mother, Jennie, ordering its creation for the celebration of Samuel Tilden’s election as governor of New York at the Manhattan Club. As exciting as this may sound, it seems that little Winston had more to do with disproving the theory. At the time of the election, Lady Churchill was in England giving birth to Winston, and the only noted celebration for Tilden actually coincided with the day of Winston Churchill’s christening.

This original EO aperitif pays tribute to Italian gastronomy. Its main ingredient, Fernet Branca—made of overly bitter barks, herbs, and spices—is traditionally served as a digestive, but it is rarely used in cocktails because it tends to overpower all other ingredients. Fernet is purported to be a cure-all for many ailments—upset stomachs, menstrual cramps, baby colic, even cholera. It is an acquired taste, which makes it the favorite shot of bartenders who gravitate toward flavors rejected by the general public. The Fernando is rich and chocolaty, slightly sweet, with a bitter finish. To complete the cocktail, the bartender smacks a fresh mint sprig in the palm of the hand to release the essential mint oils. This cocktail is ideal for Negroni drinkers and diehard fans of Fernet alike.

The Elderflower Spritz is EO’s version of the St-Germain cocktail invented by Robert Cooper, the creator of St-Germain liqueur. The difference is that we add lemon slices for citrus in the middle. Our recipe was developed as a French version of the Italian Spritz, to offer to guests who dislike the bitterness of Aperol. Its flowery essence is calming and soothing, with a welcome simplicity.

The Campari Spritz is the predecessor of the Aperol Spritz. Whereas the Aperol version is soft, the Campari version is bold and assertive, so it is served in a smaller rocks glass and garnished with one large green olive. With its robust nature, the Campari Spritz is a very popular aperitivo alongside various antipasti containing olive oil, spices, fresh mozzarella, and seafood such as octopus, calamari, and clams.

Instead of using cream or half-and-half in this classic dessert sauce, I prefer using milk. It keeps the sauce light, tasty, and simple, but the mixture will not appear as thick as some other versions of crème anglaise. This can be served with any dessert, but I especially like it over fresh fruit.

If you’ve always wanted to try making your own pasta dough, this is the recipe to start with. I leave the work of kneading to my stand mixer, though I prefer to roll the dough through my hand crank machine. This basic recipe can be turned into any strand pasta and also makes a great ravioli wrapper.

The trio of sugar, cream, and butter can’t be beat. In its liquid form here, it can be drizzled on desserts—or even breakfast treats.

This is possibly one of the most versatile building blocks I’ve ever made. This syrup has found itself into hundreds of my recipes because of its balance of sweetness, heat, and acid. Over the years, I’ve tweaked the mix, changing the acid, adding aromatics. For now, the formula below is what I’m sticking with. Originally conceived as the base for homemade Ginger Lemon Soda (page 25), it quickly became my go-to syrup for spritzers.

Yes, This is good for you. But that’s not the reason I eat it. By whipping the egg whites just until foamy, the resulting omelet is light and delicious. (Unwhisked egg whites get rubbery.) Unlike regular omelets, which shouldn’t color, this one gets cooked in a blazing hot pan until crisped and brown and the fresh herbs get sealed right into the whites. While lemon may seem an unlikely pairing for eggs, the bit of zest at the end adds a brightness perfect for the clean flavors here.

I started shopping in supermarkets only after we got our country house and I needed to stock the kitchen there. When I went into the Whole Foods near my flagship restaurant, I was astounded by everything they sell. They have a machine that lets you make your own almond butter! I like to grind it so that it’s almost smooth but still a bit chunky. On grainy bakery bread with bananas, it’s heaven. This is what I eat for breakfast every morning. It’s best with a cup of hot coffee.