This true classic, dating back to Professor Jerry Thomas in the mid-19th Century, was served at Tales of the Cocktail 2007 at a seminar entitled “The Cocktail’s Family Tree,” a look at how the cocktail used to be just one particular kind of drink — specifically, it meant a spirit of any kind with water, sugar and bitters, and was not a catch-all term for all mixed alcoholic drinks.

Back in the Days of Yore there were cobblers and daisys and fixes and flips and sangarees and punches and shrubs and lots more. Going through all this was moderator David Wondrich of Esquire magazine and many other publications (boy, what a gig he’s got), bartenders John Myers from Portland, Maine and Jim Meehan of PDT in New York, and Ryan Magarian, mixologist and one of the developers of Aviaton Gin. The only drawback to a panel like this is that you can’t possibly fit all the history into a 75-minute seminar; we’d need to spend a week drinking our way through the development of the cocktail with all its fellow drinks for the last couple of hundred years (and how much fun would that be?). The guys all did a great job though, and it was fun and fascinating.

We also got to sample two drinks from the cocktail’s family tree, one daisy and one fizz, the latter near and dear to the heart of New Orleanians (a Ramos, of course). The daisy, a forerunner to drinks like the Sidecar or what Gary Regan classifies as a “New Orleans Sour,” generally was a spirit with fresh lemon juice, sugar, a bit of Curaçao and sometimes grenadine. No grenadine in this one, and the Curaçao is a damned good one. Here’s the modern version:

Brandy Daisy

2 ounces brandy.
1/2 ounce fresh squeezed lemon juice.
1/4 ounce Grand Marnier.
1 teaspoon rich simple syrup.

Strain into a chilled rocks glass and add 1 ounce chilled seltzer water or soda. Twist a thin-cut lemon peel over the top and drop in for garnish.

For comparison, here’s Professor Jerry Thomas’ version from his 1862 classic The Bartender’s Guide, or How to Mix Drinks:

Brandy Daisy
(from Jerry Thomas, 1862)

3 or 4 dashes gum syrup
2 or 3 dashes of Curacoa cordial
The juice of half a small lemon
1 small wine-glass of brandy
2 dashes of Jamaica rum

Fill glass one-third full of shaved ice. Shake well, strain into a large cocktail glass, and fill up with Seltzer water from a syphon.

A daisy can be made with any base spirit — bourbon, rye, gin, genever, even tequila, although such a thing was unheard of in Jerry Thomas’ day. In fact, it’s been surmised that the Margarita was really just a tequila Daisy, in spite of all the stories about its origin, and who the lady Margarita, its apparent namesake, really was.

The biggest clue? Well, other than the near-identical recipe? The Spanish word for “daisy” is … margarita!

By the by, here’s an appropriately fuzzy picture of Wes and me with Gaz Regan and Dave Wondrich, taken after we’d quaffed our daisies and fizzes at the seminar.

Ah, but we hadn’t yet even begun to drink …

This cocktail was served by bartenders Darcy O’Neil and Paul Clarke at The Delachaise in New Orleans during the Spirited Dinner at Tales of the Cocktail 2007.

As this was happening, I over in the Garden District at Commander’s Palace for a different Spirited Dinner, and it was an agonizing choice. I have no regrets — it was a fantastic meal at Commander’s — but I’m still kicking myself for not having Darcy and Paul’s wonderful drinks with the wonderful dishes of Chef Chris DeBarr (now at his own restaurant, The Green Goddess). He’s one of the best, most creative and innovative chefs in the city. Read Paul’s account of the dinner for more details.

This cocktail was originally developed by Murray Stenson of the Zig Zag Café in Seattle.

Les Coulisses Cocktail

2 ounces Plymouth gin.
1/4 ounce Cynar.
1/8 ounce green Chartreuse.
2 dashes Fee Brothers orange bitters.

Stir well with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a curl of lemon peel.

This is what drives me so nuts about the Spirited Dinners. All those great dinners and drinks on the same night, gaah!

This was served by bartenders Jeff “Beachbum” Berry and Wayne Curtis at the Spirited Dinner at the Palace Café in New Orleans at Tales of the Cocktail 2007.

Donga Punch
(Adapted by Jeff Berry from Don the Beachcomber’s 1937 recipe)

1 ounce Rhum Clément VSOP.
1 ounce Cruzan Estate dark rum.
1 ounce fresh grapefruit juice.
3/4 ounce fresh lime juice.
1/2 ounce cinnamon-infused simple syrup (such as Trader Tiki’s).

Put everything tino a cocktail shaker half-filled with crushed ice. Shake well. Pour into a tall glass. If necessary, add more crushed ice to fill.

The dish they paired it with: Red Curry Glazed Duck with Avocado Corn Relish.

This was served by bartenders Simon Difford and Tony Conigliaro at the 2007 Spirited Dinner at Louis XVI in New Orleans during Tales of the Cocktail.

The S. Tea G.

1-1/2 shots Plymouth gin.
1 shot St. Germain elderflower liqueur.
1 shot cold English breakfast tea.
Tonic water.

Shake with ice and strain into an ice-filled Collins glass; top with tonic water. Garnish with a lemon slice.

The dish: Gulf Shrimp Tabouleh with Harissa Roasted Red Pepper Dressing.

This was served by Gary Regan and David Wondrich at the 2007 Spirited Dinner at Dickie Brennan’s Bourbon House in New Orleans during Tales of the Cocktail.

Airmail Special

1-1/2 ounces Cruzan Estate Diamond rum.
1/2 ounce lime juice.
1/2 ounce honey syrup (1:1 honey and water).
Champagne.

Shake well with cracked ice. Strain into ice-filled highball glass and top with Champagne.

The dish: Broiled Snapper with Crushed Corn and Bourbon Butter.