Today, as on every first Friday of December, we celebrate the relatively young National Bartender Day, or Bartender Appreciation Day, as it was first called when this festivity was created in 2011 by Sailor Jerry Rum to pay homage to the hard work behind the bar.
They came up with this initiative with the very honourable and truthful argument that bartenders do so much more than just mixing drinks. These are creative and skilled professionals that bring together knowledge and expertises in areas such as mixology, gastronomy, customer service, sociability, etc. Below are some words taken from the Bartender Appreciation Day manifesto, from the day it was first launched 10 years ago:
“Here’s to the men and women who give up their late nights out, so we can have ours. Who make our drinks, pour our shots, and give us our nightly meal of nuts and pretzels. We honor their hard work and their unwavering patience. Without them, we would be out on the street or even worse, stuck at home. On December 6th, we raise our glass in solidarity.”
Sailor Jerry Rum
Bartending has been a profession since ancient Roman times, and in the 19th century it became known as a serious profession, when pioneers like "Professor" Jerry Thomas established the image of the bartender as a creative professional, and Harry Johnson wrote a bartending manual and established the first bar management consulting agency. But around that time the bartending profession was still generally and largely seen as a second occupation. This view of bartending as a career is changing around the world, including nowadays the recognition and specialized education it deserves.
To pay homage to this day we share with you the recipe and history behind the most beloved cocktail in America: the Manhattan. It’s undoubtedly one of the most famous cocktails in the world, suitable for aperitifs, it stands out for its references on the small and large screen, always pictured as glamorous and timeless.
It's origins are lost in time, including 3 different mystery versions that bring forward at least 4 protagonists. The first was told by William F. Muhallan, bartender for many years in the famous Hoffman House in New York, according to which the cocktail was invented around Brooklyn by a bartender named Black. Another version argues that the Manhattan was part of a project called "The cocktails of the five boroughs" (Brooklyn, Bronx, Manhattan, Queens and Staten Island), created to represent and celebrate the five areas of New York. But the most accredited version takes us back to around 1970 in the famous Manhattan Club, where on the occasion of a party for the presidential candidate Samuel J Tilden, organized by Jennie Jerome (or Lady Randolph Churchill, mother of Winston Churchill), Dr. Iain Marshall mixed this unforgettable drink for the first time. There is also a second interpretation of the same story that sees Jennie Jerome herself as the creator of the Manhattan, since according to accredited rumors she used to delight in liqueurs and spirits in order to amaze her guests with new proposals and combinations.
Although the early recipes suggest more ingredients, the Manhattan was simplified over the decades and today it’s known for its sophisticated whiskey-based simplicity. The very first recipes also just state whiskey, but the cocktail was probably originally made with rye whiskey as New York was a rye-drinking city. Today it is also common to use bourbon, but purists still favor rye whiskey. Check the recipe below:
Ingredients:
- 2 oz bourbon or rye whiskey
- 1 oz sweet vermouth
- 5 dashes Angostura bitters
- brandied cherry for garnish
Step 1:Add the bourbon or rye, the sweet vermouth and bitters to a mixing glass with ice, and stir until well-chilled.
Step 2:Strain into a chilled coupe.
Step 3:Garnish with the cherry.
Here at Bona Fide, we not only work alongside these amazing professionals to develop our flavor-forward and classic recipes, we also admire their skills and expertise, without which we wouldn’t be able to create the delicious products we are about to offer you all.
At home, preparing your own famous cocktail recipe, or at the bar, ordering that great recommendation from your favorite bartender, let’s show some appreciation and gratitude to these amazing professionals that have always been there, a present figure in our social lifes. Congratulations to all bartenders!