French 75
The French 75 is a Cocktail which consists of either Gin or Cognac, Fresh Lemon Juice, Sugar, and Champagne.
Contents |
Who created the French 75?
"Created by Harry MacElhone of Henry's bar, Paris in 1925, named after the '75 field gun used by the French army during the first world war."
Why is it called a French 75?
Theory 1: The French 75 is named after a WW1 artillery gun used by the French.
Theory 2: The French 75 is named after the "Départements" number of Paris which is 75.
Original Recipe
The Earliest Recorded recipe for a French 75 is in the Savoy Cocktail Book (1930). The recipe states Gin, rather than Cognac.
Common Recipes
Recipe#1: Cocktaildb.com
- Build
- 1 oz fresh lemon juice (3 cl, 1/4 gills)
- 2 tsp sugar, stir (1 cl, 1/16 gills)
- 2 oz gin (6 cl, 1/2 gills)
- Fill with ice, Champagne
- Add lemon wedge, cherry, orange slice
- Serve with straws
- Serve in a tall glass (14.0 oz)
Recipe#2: Simon Difford
- French '75
- 3/4 gin
- 1/2 freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/2 sugar syrup
- top with Champagne
Point of Interest
Robert Vermiere (1922) lists a '75 Cocktail but no French '75.
'75 Cocktail
2 dashes grenadine 1 teaspoonful lemon juice 1/6 gill Calvados 2/6 gill Dry Gin Shake well and strain into a Cocktail glass.
This Cocktail was very well appreciated in Paris during the war. It has been called after the famous light French field gun, and was introduced by Henry of Henry's bar fame in Paris."
