Week 3 - Manhattan

We try another classic this week, the Manhattan. The Manhattan was supposedly created for Lady Jenny Churchill, the mother of Sir Winston. It was created at the Manhattan Club in New York.

The recipe is again from The Bartender's Bible.

• 2 oz blended whiskey
• 3/4 oz sweet vermouth
• 3 dashes bitters
• 1 maraschino cherry

In a mixing glass half-filled with ice cubes, combine the whiskey, vermouth, and bitters. Stir well. Strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with the cherry.

Use a good whiskey for this drink because it will dominate the taste. This version of the Manhattan is not as sweet as others I have had, but I think that is what I like about it. Not a bad drink, but not one of my all-time favorites.

By coincidence, we went to the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth this week for a preview screening of HBO's documentary, The Gates,which documents Christo and Jeanne-Paul's 2005 public art installation in Central Park. HBO held a Manhattan-themed reception beforehand with various New York City foods, including Manhattans. They made the sweeter variety, which were not bad, but not as good as the straighter version from The Bartender's Bible.