Bathrobe Drinking Part II: The legendary Ramos Gin Fizz and my fizzy Hero: Mr. Ernest P. Rawling
As in the Part I of this Article mentioned, me and Mr. Padovani had a splendid time at the very well set up first Belgium Bar Show Venuez. In our talk about the Lost Art of Bathrobe Drinking, we first talked about tomato juice Drinks and came finally up with the WHITE SNAPPER.
But, as we all know, next to this pick me up drinks, a delightful Gin Fizz is one of the greatest drinks to come back to life quick in the morning, recovering from a hard hangover.
So, doing my homework on Gin Fizzes, most on the Ramos Gin Fizz, I discovered two very important Details I missed till yet.
Missed Detail No. 1
First of all, I discovered the most beautiful poem about the joy of enjoying a Fizz in Mr. Wondrichs Books Imbibe:
Ernest P. Rawling: 1914 Rawlings Book of Mixed Drinks
"While the Cocktail is unquestionably the most popular drink on the
Pacific coast today, the next in favor is the FIZZ! The long drink par excellence.
At any time or in any place where the tongue and throat are dry; when the spirits are jaded and the body is weary; after a long automobile trip on hot and dusty roads; it is then that the Gin Fizz comes like a cooling breeze from the sea, bringing new life and the zest and joy of living.
And in the „morning after the night before“ when the whole world seems gray and lonesome, and every nerve and fibre of the body is throbbing a complaint against the indiscretion, just press the button and oder a GIN FIZZ -
„Not to sweet please!“
It Comes. Oh, shades of the green oasis in the sandy desert of life!"
Wow - I need a FIZZ! Mr. Rawling, you are my personal Fizz Hero. No one ever wrote finer words about this great drink! And this was a fantastic way to explain people why Fizzes are one of the best hangover choices to do.
Reading Wondrichs Imbibe, but also Brown MillersSpirituous Journey Book Two (Which, believe me, is a must have !) I read some more great stories about Mr. Ramos and his Fizz. First of all. Mr. Ramos seemed to be a gentleman we will never find in this days. Wow, what a man! For sure Ramos must be drunk at Lunch time, he closed his Bar latest at eight p.m.! "It used to be said, mournfully, that if all the Saloon Keepers had been like Mr. Ramos, prohibition would never have come to pass. More than that, it probably would never have been thought of" With day one of Prohibition he announced :" I have sold my last Gin Fizz". He served Gentleman - and Gentleman, of course, would not violate the law. Prohibtion had come to the Ramos bar. But not temperance. Temperance had always been there!"
Missed Detail No. 2
And reading all this, most from an Interview he did after closing Ramos Bar, I enjoyed his "Original Ramos Recipe":
"One and Only One Ramos' Original Gin Fizz
(1) One tablespoonful powdered sugar.
Three or four drops of Orange Flower Water.
One-half lime (Juice).
One-half lemon (Juice).
(1) One Jigger of Old Tom Gin.
The white of one egg.
One-half glass of crushed ice.
About (2) tablespoonsful of rich milk or cream.
A little Seltzer water (about an ounce) to make it pungent.
Together well shaken and strained (drink freely).
And I do not know if you realized what I realized.. Did you?
He SHAKED the FIZZ with Seltzer. I have tried this, and indeed: it worked. But, I like to mention, that you may be careful while trying this!
Danke, Herr Meyer, dass sie Detail No. 2 mit uns teilen, nun habe ich endlich einmal den RGF (nach zig gescheiterten Anläufen) richtig zubereiten können...ein Traum!
AntwortenLöschenNur das Seltzer ist eine mögliche "Gefahrenquelle"
;)