Many cocktails derive their names from people or events and the French 75 is the perfect example. Created in 1914 and originally known as Soixante-Quinze (Seventy-Five in French), this sophisticated cocktail was named after the 75-millimetre gun championed by the French during World War One (a weapon viewed as a symbol of hope at the time).
Historically the French 75 was served in a coupe by Parisian bartenders, however, consumption trends change and in the 1980s many bartenders flocked towards using flutes. We now frequently see the French 75 gracing a Collins glass with its presence.
Our very own Ashmolean Dry Gin provides the perfect base for this delicate cocktail with the Bangladeshi jara lemon highlighting the citrusy undertones and the Greek honey (inspired by the Ancient Greece exhibit at the Ashmolean Museum) providing a subtle sweetness.
Most of all, we adore the fun, sherbet-esque taste the lemon and sugar syrup combination releases on our tongues, making it the ideal cocktail for a summer celebration.
FRENCH 75 INGREDIENTS
- 15ml Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice
- 10ml Sugar Syrup
- 45ml Ashmolean Gin
- 75ml Champagne/Prosecco
FRENCH 75 STEP-BY-STEP RECIPE
- Combine the lemon and sugar in a shaker.
- Pour some champagne/prosecco into your flute and leave to one side.
- Add Ashmolean Gin to the lemon and sugar in the shaker.
- Fill with ice and shake.
- Strain into your flute and top with more champagne/prosecco.