Ingredients
-
5 cl of gin
-
3 cl of orange juice
-
2 drops of absinthe
-
2 drops of grenadine
Directions
The history of the Monkey Gland cocktail is fascinating. In 1920, a certain Dr. Serge Abrahamovitch Voronoff experimented with the first transplant of ape tissue (testicles) in humans for enhancement, not just sexual.
We could say that he was looking for a genetic viagra…
The results were null and the distinguished star doctor became one of the most brilliant charlatans in the history of science.
But at least something good came out of this whole story. Voronoff’s discoveries caused such a sensation that they became the topic of conversation of the moment, so much so that the legendary barman Harry MacElhone of Harry’s New York Bar in Paris, immediately dedicated him a cocktail based on gin, orange, grenadine and absinthe, the infamous liqueur favored by cursed poets.
But let’s get to the drink. Let’s immediately dispel the false myths about absinthe. By now the famous psychotropic substance called thujone, very similar to the tetrahydrocannabinol present in Indian hemp has been banned and is found only in very small quantities in the liqueur. And in the Monkey Gland there are only two drops of absinthe, so no hallucinations: don’t worry!
The Monkey Gland cocktail is a concentrate of crazy aromaticity: first the gin, then the absinthe that marks a lot with herbal flavors and finally the refreshing cascade of orange juice with the sweetness of grenadine to finish. A cocktail to drink at all hours, perfect as an aperitif or after dinner, but also as a meditation drink.
Ingredients and doses to make the Monkey Gland
- 5 cl of gin
- 3 cl of fresh orange juice
- 2 drops of absinthe
- 2 drops of grenadine
How to prepare the Monkey Gland cocktail
With 3 cubes, cool a glass, squeeze an orange and strain the juice. Put some ice cubes in a shaker, then pour all the ingredients, shake like mad baboons and pour, filtering with the strainer, into the cup, from which you have removed the ice.
Other gin-based cocktails that might tickle your curiosity: Gin Gin Mule, Gin Lemon, Gin Fizz, Tom Collins, Martini Dry, Heidi cocktail, Tuxedo, Negroni, Paradise.
Monkey Gland food pairings
The Monkey is a tough drink, with a certain thickness, excellent for playing down the taste of meat or fatty fish. We choose meat dishes with “smokey” flavors: beef ribs with bbq sauce, brisket, pulled pork, grilled salmon with fruit sauce, turbot with peppers, amatriciana.
Other great cocktails to try as an aperitif
Negroni, Mojito, Moscow Mule, Gin & Tonic, Dark and Stormy, Daiquiri, Margarita, Spritz, Hugo, Old Fashioned, Manhattan.
