The Corpse Reviver #2 Cocktail Recipe

This is a spirited cocktail that will raise the dead. "The Corpse Reviver #2" hails from The Savoy Cocktail Book and has haunted bars since the early 19th century, legend has it that this concoction was consumed in the morning as a hangover cure. Gin, Lillet, Cointreau, lemon juice and a spritz of Absinthe? Now that's sophisticated "hair of the dog."

Divya Gugnani: Hi, I'm Divya Gugnani. I often travel from one time zone to the other and I find the best way to unwind is a classic cocktail. I'm here at Clock Bar in San Francisco, California so let's go behind the burner and meet the bartender. I'm here with bartender Morgan Schick. Morgan make me a cocktail that’s going to make me come back again and again. Morgan Schick: All right, we’re going to make an old classic the Corpse Reviver #2. This is from the Subway Hotel Cocktail book. First thing we’re going to do is ice our glass. Now around the bottle we keep them in coolers but as many things as you can have cold the better. Divya Gugnani: Yeah, so a good tip before you make your cocktail, chill the glass. Morgan Schick: Chill everything, you can chill your shaker, you can chill your mixing tin, chill your glass, you can chill the liquor. The colder it is the better. The second tip is you're going to measure everything. Now, this is an equal part string. We’re going to be three quarters of each. The actual amount doesn’t matter that much except that know that bigger is not better. Divya Gugnani: Okay, and it’s the ratio that matters. Morgan Schick: That’s right. Divya Gugnani: So you just want equal parts. Morgan Schick: And frankly smaller cocktails are usually better. They're meant to be drink fast if they're too big they warm up too much. Divya Gugnani: So if they give you a smaller cocktail then coming back and back again anyways. Morgan Schick: That’s right, you just drink free. So you can do three quarters each of gin. We’re using a pint of gin, Quantro and you can use any kind of orange liquor. Quantro is the classic for guests. We’re going to use Lillet which is a sweetened wine of aperitif. Divya Gugnani: I was just going to say, I haven’t had Lillet in a while, was it your great thing. Morgan Schick: It is. It was used to be very common in cocktails and then we’re going to use some lemon juice. Now, whenever possible you want a fresh squeeze everything. Divya Gugnani: So if you wanted a great cocktail, good tip use fresh juice. Morgan Schick: Fresh juice and make sure to measure it even if you're squeezing it because half of the lemon doesn’t always give you the same amount of juice. Now we’re going to shake it. Divya Gugnani: What a shake? Morgan Schick: The last ingredient in this drink is a wash of absinthe. Now you can do that by pouring a little in the glass and whirling it around or you can get one of these. There are little pump action spray bottles. Divya Gugnani: It's like hair spray except it’s absinthe. Morgan Schick: That’s right so we’re just going do that and then we’re going to double strain it through a tea strainer. That takes out any little bits of pulp or little bits of ice and finally— Divya Gugnani: Your garnish of choice. Morgan Schick: A branded cherry. Divya Gugnani: Just one. Morgan Schick: Just one. Divya Gugnani: Don’t get stingy on me and here we go. Wow! This is a killer cocktail. Morgan Schick: So you get a little bitterness from the Lillet and you get the botanical through the gin. You got a little sweetness and you got that tart edge from the lemon. Divya Gugnani: I can tell a little bit of citrus flavor in it and it's really coming out at me. Morgan Schick: And with the absinthe is mostly just so you know, you just smell it with that little anise as your drink. Divya Gugnani: And you get the anise, that’s what it is and a little bit of kind of heat and kick in the finish. Morgan Schick: Well, you got to know what you're drinking. Divya Gugnani: We definitely know we’re drinking. Thanks, Morgan. Morgan Schick: Thank you. Divya Gugnani: Stay tune to behind the burner where we give you the tips, tricks and techniques that are lighting the culinary world on fire.