Father's Day

Voilà l'Été: The French 75

by:
July 10, 2011
3.8
4 Ratings
Voilà l'Été: The French 75
Photo by James Ransom
  • Serves 2
Author Notes

Not being a big cocktail drinker I only relish in a few, in part because of their historical provenance. The French 75 goes back to between the two World Wars, and was named for a French artillery piece. I like the Negroni also, the cocktail of the Italian Futurists, but it doesn’t make for a great poolside beverage. The 75 can be served in a sturdy tumbler rather than a dainty Sex and the City martini glass. I strongly recommend using Hendrick’s gin, as it has a great blend of botanicals. After that, the ingredients are simple. And this is NOT a blender drink. To take it on a picnic, make the drinks ahead, pour them into a sealed container, and serve over ice. It's okay to use plastic cups. —pierino

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 2 shots gin (I prefer Hendrick’s)
  • 1 shot Cointreau
  • 1 big squeeze of lime
  • 1 teaspoon sugar, more to taste
  • 1 splash sparkling wine (Champagne or Prosecco), chilled
Directions
  1. Add enough ice to your cocktail shaker to fill it about a third of the way.
  2. Add the gin, Cointreau, lime, and sugar, then cover and shake well. Strain the drink into tumblers chilled with ice.
  3. Finish off each glass with a big splash of sparkling wine. An additional lime wedge is optional.
  4. Keep pouring ‘em.
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pierino
Standup commis flâneur, and food historian. Pierino's background is in Italian and Spanish cooking but of late he's focused on frozen desserts. He is now finishing his cookbook, MALAVIDA! Can it get worse? Yes, it can. Visit the Malavida Brass Knuckle cooking page at Facebook and your posts are welcome there.

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12 Reviews

beejay45
beejay45 June 26, 2018
A bartender friend used to make these for me. He used a lemon and lime infused simple syrup and gin, then served it in a tall glass filled up with chilled champagne. Light and delicious. Not sure how authentic it was, but it's the only version I'm familiar with.
 
pierino
pierino June 26, 2018
What your bartender friend made is pretty close to the original. The essential components are gin a d a dry sparkling white wine. This version has oddly become kind of my legacy recipe at Foo52. It seems to get at least two saves per week.
 
pierino
pierino June 11, 2018
Be careful what you wish for. Even though I no longer drink alcoholic beverages this one has become one of my Food52 "legacy" recipes. It seems to get multiple saves every week. Of course we are close to summer now.
 
Claire S.
Claire S. October 30, 2016
I'm very surprised this recipe calls for equal parts gin and Cointreau...this resulted in an incredibly bitter, unlikable cocktail, even with the stirred in sugar.
 
pierino
pierino November 3, 2016
Thanks for your comment. I don't mind critical voices at all. I came up with this one five years ago and it's been very popular. However it might be time for a rethink. I've given up cocktails for health reasons but I might mix a couple for some friends and see what they think.
 
E. W.
E. W. June 13, 2019
The ratio is two parts gin to one part Cointreau. Should make a noticeable difference.
 
Lynn
Lynn June 9, 2015
Love the drink but love the glasses more. Where can I get them, or did I miss that?
 
buzzWOOF
buzzWOOF September 18, 2015
I can't tell for sure, but they look awfully similar to glasses I've purchased from CB2. I have a whole slew of them, in a variety of colors. Clean lines - as appropriate for every day use as they are on a beautiful tablescape. They're incredibly light and delicate, but surprisingly sturdy! I've broken one over the course of a year or so. But the greatest thing is they're so cheap it's not an issue to replace one here or there. Browse the rest of their glassware for other great items too! http://www.cb2.com/set-of-8-marta-double-old-fashioned-glasses/s422233
 
Lynn
Lynn September 19, 2015
Thank you, thank you. Just bought them from CB2. They're gorgeous and reviews for them are fabulous. Greatly appreciate your reply! ✋
 
JulieBee
JulieBee July 23, 2014
Whoaaaa! Caveat Emptor. This is a tasty, super sneaky drink. Half way through a glass, I was laughing hysterically at nothing in particular. Gin, Cointreau and Prosecco = one boozy drink
 
Andreadoria56
Andreadoria56 July 11, 2011
It's a lovely cocktail - one of my favorites too.

While I agree that the Negroni is not a pool side cocktail - the Negroni Sbagliato - where the gin is substituted with sparkling white wine - certainly is. (And you have have an open bottle of bubbly)
 
EmilyC
EmilyC July 10, 2011
I'm also not a big cocktail drinker, but this drink is a favorite. Also like the variation (don't know the number) with bourbon.