Dark cherry, vanilla, spice
A fabulous accompaniment to roast pork loin, thanks to the combination of brandy and port. We like to serve these at Thanksgiving, where they are heavenly with giblet stuffing.
In 1941, a bon vivant named Crosby Gaige published a cocktail companion dedicated to “Hussies and Homebodies,” and in it appeared a recipe for the Betsy Ross. Today his illustrated Cocktail Guide and Ladies Companion is one of those vintage collectables that goes for hundreds of dollars on eBay, but no one seems to know how Gaige came across this recipe. Moody, spicy, blood-dark—maybe Betsy Ross was a stage name? After all, Gaige produced shows on Broadway when he wasn’t hanging out with Dorothy Parker or chairing the American Food & Wine Society or growing onions for the Waldorf-Astoria (a private hobby, he grew over 100 varieties). Wherever the recipe is from, it is a throwback to early cocktails.
2 ounces (60 ml) brandy (Pierre Ferrand Ambre)
½ ounce (15 ml) orange curaçao (Pierre Ferrand)
¾ ounce (22 ml) ruby port (Niepoort)
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Freshly grated nutmeg, for garnish
Stir ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with nutmeg.