Brandy Smash

The Innocents Abroad, Mark Twain, 1869

5 fresh mint leaves

2 oz. brandy

½ teaspoon simple syrup

Chill a cocktail glass in the freezer.

Place the ingredients in a cocktail shaker, fill it two-thirds of the way with ice, and shake until chilled.

Strain into the chilled cocktail glass and enjoy.

The Frenchman was checkmated. This was all Greek to him.

“Give us a brandy smash!”

By now, the would-be patrons are getting frustrated. The Brandy Smash, also dating from the early to mid-nineteenth century, was a classic mixed drink that should have been available in any bar. It was especially popular during the Civil War era and afterward. Most often made with brandy or cognac, mint leaves, and syrup, it can also be served with or without soda, depending on the drinker’s preference.