Cooking Lesson #904: Frozen Brandy Alexander

…from the Perspectives’ Happy Hour Bar

credit: foodiepatootie.com

How you doin’?  It’s Friday and almost time for Happy Hour.  Here is a cool refreshing cocktail popular for 100 years. There are at least two drinks from the early 20th century that were known by the name 'Alexander', but which are nevertheless different drinks.
 
In Jack's Manual on The Vintage & Production, Care & Handling of Wines, Liquors & More (1910) by Jacob Abraham Grohusko, the 'Alexander Cocktail' is described as three parts rye whiskey, one part Bénédictine, with a piece of ice and a twist of orange peel. In Recipes for Mixed Drinks (1915) by Hugo Ensslin, a drink by the same name is made with equal parts of gin, white crème de cacao and sweet cream, shaken with ice, and strained.
 
From what I was able to find the Alexander was originally made with gin, but the modern version is usually made with brandy and is called a Brandy Alexander. The International Bartenders Association calls for brandy in its Alexander. There are numerous variations… Coffee Alexander substitutes coffee liqueur (such as Kahlúa) for crème de cacao. The Blue Alexander substitutes Blue Curaçao for crème de cacao. Brandy Alexander substitutes gin for some form of brandy; other variations also exist.
 
Here is my favorite variation which was popular at The Custom’s House Restaurants in Northern California—The Frozen Brandy Alexander. I used to make up my own stories and told my guests that this was named after Alexander Hamilton right after the American Revolution. A good story is a good story.

Prep time:  5 minutes
Yield:  1 serving
 
Ingredients 
1 ounce bar brandy
1 ounce dark creme de cacao
2 scoops vanilla ice cream                
1/2 scoop crushed ice  
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
 
Directions

1. Working with a blender can, add the brandy, crème de cacao, ice and ice cream.
2. Blend on high until you get a nice creamy texture, and the ice has been well blended.
3. Pour into a tall cocktail glass. 
4. Garnish with a shake of ground nutmeg.
5. Serve and enjoy! Cheers!

ChefSecret:  I like to dress this drink up with a little drizzle of chocolate syrup running down the inside face of a tall cocktail glass. You can also top it off with a couple of mini marshmallows.
 
Covid-19 Quip of the Day:  I took my date to the bar last night. It was very romantic. I got us a table and ordered a Brandy. The waiter asked, “Snifter?” "No, we just held hands."
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