Soyer-Au-Champagne Cocktail
1 Liqueur Glass Ice Cream. (Scoop Tahitian Vanilla Gelato)
2 Dashes Maraschino. (2 dash Luxardo Maraschino)
2 Dashes Curacao. (2 dash Brizard Curacao)
2 Dashes Brandy. (2 dash Germain-Robin Brandy)
Stir well together in medium size glass and fill with Champagne (Blanquette de Limoux, Cuvee Berlene 2005). Add slice of pineapple or orange, 1 cherry or strawberry.

Well, first off, First & Hope I’m afraid Soyer au Champagne did not, first appear, “in the 1949 Esquire’s Handbook for Hosts.” At the very least, both Harry McElhone’s “Harry’s ABCs” and “Barflies and Cocktails” contained it prior to the Savoy Cocktail Book.

In fact Ted Haigh in, “Vintage Spirits & Forgotten Cocktails,” the Soyer au Champagne, sez the drink is, “circa 1888,” well before any of the books above were published.  It certainly is similar to a lot of drinks put forward by the esteemed William “The Only” Schmidt in his awesome book, “The Flowing Bowl”.

Ted, though puts forth the idea of serving this in a coupe, instead of a chimney as I did, with a lot less ice cream.

Let’s examine Harry McElhone’s recipe, as I feel certain that is where Harry Craddock found this monstrosity.

Soyer au Champagne

In a large tumbler put 1 measure of Vanilla Ice Cream. 2 dashes Maraschino. 2 dashes Curacao. 2 dashes Brandy.

Fill balance with Champagne, stir well. and add a slice of Pineapple, a slice Orange, and a slice of Lemon. 2 Cherries. 2 Strawberries.
(A very popular beverage on the Continent.)

Hm, wow, Harry proscribes an f-ing baroque nightmare garnish scenario for this puppy! Geez, pineapple, orange, lemon, 2 cherries, and two strawberries!? Is he joking? In addition he sez, “large tumbler,” which I guess is more akin to a modern water glass?

Anyway, the other month at someone at Alembic ordered this. We hadn’t invested in Vanilla Ice Cream, so we made do with simple and cream. I didn’t think it was exactly awful, but Danny thought it was possibly the worst thing he had ever put in his mouth.

Making this again, I found it odd. When I first made it, I thought it was kind of tasty, but maybe too concentrated, so added more sparkling wine. Ooof, as I dried it out a bit more with the sparkling wine, it just got worse. There’s a balance here, surprisingly, and too much champagne really ruins the cocktail.

Maybe Ted is right, in picking the coupe. At least that way you can’t over pour the champagne.

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.