Inspired by my friend who is attempting to cook his way through “The Joy of Cooking” from begining to end, I thought I might try the same with a cocktail book in the hopes of gaining a larger perspective into the world of cocktails.

“The Savoy Cocktail Book” was one of the first major Cocktail books published in the 30s, so it has always been a go to book for me. It represents a link between the old world of 19th century cocktails and the new world of 20th Century cocktails.

I’ll try to make as many as I reasonably can with what ingredients are currently available and post pictures.

I will work on my velvet light box, I promise.

Abbey Cocktail.

First up is “The Abbey“.

1/2 dry gin (1/5 oz. Beefeater’s Gin)
1/4 Lillet (3/4 oz.)
1/4 orange juice (3/4 oz.)
dash Angostura Bitters

Shake well and strain into a cocktail glass.

I really like the translucent orange color of the cocktail. It almost seems to glow from within. Flavor is light, orangey and a little bit bitter. Like other Lillet based cocktails I’ve had in the past, I don’t seem to notice that I’m drinking spirits. Something about Lillet seems to transform gin into spring water. Could be dangerous.

This post is one in a series documenting my ongoing effort to make all of the cocktails in the Savoy Cocktail Book, starting at the first, Abbey, and ending at the last, Zed.