Binny's Home Bartender: Charlie Chaplin Cocktail
This cocktail is an old timey classic, but it required a side trip to the 1980s to land on this prohibition era gem. Through the kind of strange synchronicity that can only happen after a drink or two, the Charlie Chaplin cocktail revealed itself.
You see, the Binny’s Barrel to Bottle podcast crew had just put out an absurdist look at the fruity, sweet and potent cocktails that were popular in the 80s. So, as this mixologist was sitting back musing over a Slow Comfortable etc. etc., the financial news in the background was droning on about the 2020s being a return to the superheated economic environment of the roaring 20s. Inspired to thumb through the treasure trove of Jazz Age cocktails that is The Old Waldorf-Astoria Bar Book, looking for ways to further employ Sloe Gin, the Charlie Chaplin leapt out.
It looked as if it could be the precursor to the Sex on the Beach cocktail with a more thoughtful balance of citrusy zing. Time to whip one up. Exactly as expected. Fruity? Yes, but instead of leaning sweet this drink was a lime driven refresher that no 80s cocktail could match.
Well, that’s nice, perhaps it should be saved for another day. Curiosity interceded and researching the legendary silent film star and co-founder of United Artists that this zippy little number was named after could not be avoided.
Serendipity! It turns out that 2021 is the one-hundredth anniversary of his first full-length feature film “The Kid” and April 16th is his 132nd birthday. How can all this Jungian weirdness be denied? It had to be this week’s cocktail and it’s guaranteed to leave you speechless.
Charlie Chaplin Cocktail
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 oz. Sloe Gin (Plymouth or Hayman’s recommended)
- 1 oz. Apricot Liqueur (Rothman & Winter or Giffard recommended)
- 1 oz. fresh lime juice
SIMPLE STEPS:
- Add all ingredients into an ice filled shaker and shake in a comically maudlin fashion until well chilled and well diluted.
- Strain into a prechilled cocktail coupe and garnish with a lime wheel or a slice of fresh apricot, if desired.
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