original image by Randy Robertson via flickr.com

4 AUTHENTIC DRINKS FOR THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS BIRTHDAY

November 10, 2015 by Gregory Priebe

On this date 240 years ago, US Marine Corps was founded in Tun Tavern located in Philadelphia, during the American Revolutionary War. This was in response to an order by the Second Continental Congress for “two Battalions of Marines be raised” as forces to land with the fleet. The Marines would see their first amphibious raid into the Bahamas in 1776 under the command of Capt. Samuel Nichols. Today, there is an exact replica of Tun Tavern at the Marine Corps Base in Quantico, Virginia, the original found itself in the path of a highway expansion and now sadly sits disassembled in a Philadelphia warehouse.

1775 RUM PUNCH

Recipe adapted from USMC Hangout

• 1 part lime juice
• 2 parts sugar syrup
• 3 parts dark rum
• 4 parts water

Mix ingredients and pour over ice or chill. Top with a sprinkle of nutmeg and a dash of Angostura Bitters. You can substitute pineapple juice for the water.

THE US MARINE CORPS MARTINI

The following recipe has enjoyed a more than fifty-year run at the replica Tun’s Tavern on the grounds of the Quantico Marine base and is a bit of a departure from the traditional recipe. dry sherry takes the place of vermouth and the entire drink is refrigerated before serving. No stirring or shaking is mentioned. The drink is sometimes referred to as the 5,4,3,2,1 Martini.

Recipe by Fred Fenlon, adapted from Teri’s Kitchen

• 5 parts vodka
• 4 parts gin
• 3 ice cubes
• 2 parts pale dry sherry (Dry white vermouth is an acceptable substitute.)
• 1 part water

Place all 5 ingredients in the glass container (capable of holding 2-1/2 to 3 cups of liquid) and place it in the freezer of your refrigerator for at least three hours. The one part water should freeze and crystallize in the drink. Also place your cocktail glasses in the freezer, with or without rocks, as is your custom.

THE GUADALCANAL COCKTAIL

Our next drink comes from a historical account out of the book: Semper Fi in the sky: Marine air battles of World War II by Gerald Astor.

According to the story, Admiral Nimitz sent two cases of “Old Crow” Bourbon Whiskey to the Marines manning the island. In order to ration the limited supplies, the operations officer kept the case under his bunk and dolled out one bottle a night so that each man got at least one “jigger” of whiskey. Some of the men began mixing their nightly ration with their supplies of unsweetened grapefruit juice and thus the name was born:

This recipe is simply my approximation of ratios of the actual drink. The bourbon measurement is probably correct, but there isn’t any real way to know how much grapefruit juice was added or what glassware was used, simply because the marines most likely utilized whatever was available, maybe even a canteen cup. The ice is also pure conjecture and not have even been available.

• 1 1/2 oz Old Crow Bourbon Whiskey
• 2 oz Unsweetened grapefruit juice

Glass: Old fashioned or Rocks

Garnish: None

Build in an ice-filled glass, stir

THE LEATHERNECK COCKTAIL

Our final drink is an old classic that is merely included as a tribute to the brave souls of the United States Marine Corps:

recipe from Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails by Ted Haigh

The “Leatherneck” was created by Marine-turned-journalist Frank Farrell of the New York World Telegram. I mention Black Velvet as the blended whisky simply because during the war, it was shipped in large quantities to the troops in the Pacific. U.S. submarine crews apparently referred to the brand as “Schenley’s Black Death” after the company that owned it.

• 2 oz Black Velvet blended Canadian Whisky
• 3/4 oz Blue curacao
• 1/2 oz fresh squeezed lime juice

Glass: Cocktail

Garnish: None

to quote Farrell: “Shake violently on the rocks and serve in a cocktail glass…Stop smoking. Fasten your seat-belts. Empty your fountain pens. Because after two gulps, you’ll seriously consider yourself capable of straightening out Chinese fire drills.”