Citrus, caramel, spice
With its sugared rim and eye-catching garnish, this is a fetching conversation piece for an intimate gathering or formal affair. The orange and caramel notes here play beautifully off of grilled meats, especially barbecued ribs.
Lurching out of the past with elegance and ornament, the Brandy Crusta is one of the few drinks that is fully garnished before the cocktail is completed. This is the first cocktail made with fresh citrus juice—and it changed everything. Before the Crusta, only citrus rinds were used in fashioning drinks. It speaks across time of craft and class, elements that are hallmarks of today’s drink-makers who emphasize proper pours and a touch of panache. Jerry Thomas picked this one up from a fellow bartender in New Orleans. Many recipes call for the addition of maraschino liqueur, and we think it’s better this way, adding depth.
Note: The Crusta’s grandchild, the Sidecar (page 60), emerges around WWI.
2½ ounces (75 ml) brandy (Pierre Ferrand 1840)
1 teaspoon orange curaçao (Pierre Ferrand)
1 teaspoon maraschino (Luxardo)
½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Dash of Peychaud’s bitters
1 teaspoon granulated sugar, for garnish
Lemon Twist, for garnish
Prepare a small wine glass with a sugared rim. In a mixing glass, stir the ingredients with ice. Strain into the prepared goblet. Garnish.