Ramos Gin Fizz

There's a lot of history and 'lore' behind bourbon so discuss both here.

Moderator: Squire

Ramos Gin Fizz

Unread postby bourbonv » Tue Sep 05, 2006 3:40 pm

I just came across a recipe for the Ramos Gin Fizz, Alphonse Perret, Head Bartender, Roosevelt Hotel, New Orleans. It is interesting in that it calls for Old Tom Gin. I thought I would share it here.

Ramos Gin Fizz
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
3 teaspoons lemon juice
3 teaspoons lime juice
3 dashes orange flower water
2 teaspoons egg white
2 ounces Tom Gin
2 ounces milk
cracked ice

Hand shake and pour.
Mike Veach
"Our people live almost exclusively on whiskey" - E H Taylor, Jr. 25 April 1873
User avatar
bourbonv
Registered User
 
Posts: 4086
Joined: Thu Oct 14, 2004 7:17 pm
Location: Louisville, Ky.

Unread postby gillmang » Tue Sep 05, 2006 5:57 pm

Interesting drink.

Old Tom was a lightly sweetened gin. I think it was the brand name of a well-known gin and had a sleeping tom cat on the label. The term "Old Tom" in any case denoted a lightly sweet gin. The London Dry style later gained hegemony and the Old Tom style almost died out: I think some is still made in Europe but not much.

Old Tom gin originally was probably a sweetened Dutch-style gin, the so-called Hollands which was so popular around the world in the 1800's. That gin can be quite pungent (from the rye in the low-distillation mash) and sugar, juniper and other flavourings were added to soften the taste. To duplicate Old Tom, add a dash of sugar syrup to any good gin or even, say, to Hostalings rye whiskey. That rye is rather juniper-tasting from maturation only and with (or without) a bit of sugar is quite similar I believe to some aged brands of Hollands from the 1800's.

Because of the amount of sugar in the recipe, no doubt London Dry gin would go just fine in the recipe.

Gary
Last edited by gillmang on Thu Sep 07, 2006 12:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
gillmang
Vatman
 
Posts: 2173
Joined: Mon Jan 24, 2005 4:44 pm

Unread postby bourbonv » Wed Sep 06, 2006 3:10 pm

The U.D. archive had a few bottles of Old Tom Gin from the 1930'/40's. Chris and I toyed with the idea of a gin collection based upon historical old gin recipes but it never caught on with anyone in marketing. It would have been interesting to have a modern Old Tom Gin on the market.
Mike Veach
"Our people live almost exclusively on whiskey" - E H Taylor, Jr. 25 April 1873
User avatar
bourbonv
Registered User
 
Posts: 4086
Joined: Thu Oct 14, 2004 7:17 pm
Location: Louisville, Ky.


Return to Bourbon Lore

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 68 guests

cron