(This Way to) The Egress

A riff on the Barnum with Ransom Old Tom instead of dry gin. P.T. Barnum’s American Museum in New York was a 5-story showcase of curiosities of every description. The exit was marked by a cleverly worded sign, “This way to the egress.” Not realizing that this simply meant the way out, people took the bait and assumed the egress was an exhibit, only to find they had left the museum.



(This Way to) The Egress

• 2 oz Ransom Old Tom gin
• 1/2 oz apricot brandy (Apry)
• 3/4 oz lemon juice

Shake with ice and  strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
SOURCE: ROWEN, FOGGED IN LOUNGE

Ransom’s maltiness seems very 19th-century here, combining with the lemon and apricot in a slightly floral way that reminds me of an old-style punch.

Baker Beach

I’m liking Aperol and apple brandy a lot at the moment. Apple seems to go with Ransom Old Tom too. This one seems classically San Franciscan somehow, and not just the Golden Gate orange. Maybe the combo of Italian beverage bitters and spicy gin feels sort of Beat—a friendly edge.

Baker Beach

• 2 oz Ransom Old Tom gin
• 3/4 oz Laird’s apple brandy
• 3/4 oz Aperol
• 3/4 oz lemon juice

Shake with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
SOURCE: ROWEN, FOGGED IN LOUNGE

Pear 75

As you might guess, this is a variation on the classic French 75 that’s made with pear brandy. I like Poire Williams a lot but it’s very assertive, so I tend to use it in conjunction with some other base to keep the pear from becoming too dominant.



Pear 75

• 1 oz Poire Williams eau-de-vie
• 1 oz old tom gin
• 1/2 oz lemon juice
• 1 tsp simple syrup
• brut champagne to fill

Fill an 8-10 ounce glass halfway with crushed ice. Combine all but champagne with ice in a shaker and strain into the prepared glass. Fill with Champagne and stir gently. Lemon twist.
SOURCE: ROWEN, FOGGED IN LOUNGE

I did two versions: one with crushed ice, one without. I could go either way. The ice one was very cold. The up one was soft and velvety.

Bronxathon: Captain Pell

Samuel Pell (c.1821-94) was a prominent citizen and notable oysterman on City Island, and this Bronx Cocktail I’ve named for him was created with oysters in mind. The inspiration comes from the same friend who got me thinking about problems with the Bronx Cocktail.



Captain Pell

• 1 oz old tom gin (Hayman’s)
• 1 oz dry vermouth (Dolin Dry)
• 1/2 oz sweet vermouth (Dolin Rouge)
• 1/2 oz orange juice
• 1 – 2 dashes Fee Bros Orange Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
SOURCE: ROWEN, FOGGED IN LOUNGE

This one is more like a classic Bronx Cocktail than some of the recent variations. I like the way old tom in a Bronx smooths things out without changing the drink much.

Bronxathon: Old Tom Bronx

Here’s one of my own, though the inspiration of using equal parts gin and the two vermouths is from one by Billy Malloy that I found in David Wondrich’s Imbibe! Malloy’ s recipe sounds OK but not much like a Bronx to me with a mere barspoon of juice against all that vermouth. At any rate, I’m trying to work with the stuff and not hide it. I’ve upped the o.j. to a more usual amount. And I’ve used old tom gin, figuring that the sweetness might bring the elements together a little better.



Old Tom Bronx Cocktail

• 1 oz old tom gin (Hayman’s)
• 1 oz sweet vermouth (Dolin Rouge)
• 1 oz dry vermouth (Dolin Dry)
• 3/4 oz orange juice
• 1 dash orange bitters (Fee Bros)

Stir with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Orange twist.
SOURCE: ROWEN, FOGGED IN LOUNGE

This version is refreshing and has some complexity as well. The large measure of vermouth gives it a pronounced wine taste that plays off the sweetness and the orange aromatics.