Ramos Gin Fizz

The origins of most classic cocktail recipes are hazy or disputed (or both), but the Ramos Gin Fizz is consistently credited to New Orleans bartender Henry Charles Ramos. As the story goes, in 1888 Ramos created a gin cocktail with a milkshake-like consistency that became a local sensation. Then called the New Orleans Fizz, the gin cocktail was so popular that Ramos reportedly hired “shaker boys” whose sole responsibility was to prepare the drinks for thirsty crowds—the drink requires two rounds of shaking: a dry shake (without ice) to emulsify the egg white and an iced shake to chill the cocktail.

The exact ingredients were a closely guarded secret, with some speculating that vanilla extract was the key to its frothy je ne sais quoi. In 1928, after Ramos died, a New Orleans newspaper published a tribute that included what it claimed was his original recipe. It featured Old Tom gin, heavy cream or “rich milk,” and powdered sugar but otherwise wasn’t too different from the versions served in bars from London to Louisiana today. Garnished with nothing other than a meringue-like cloud of froth, the richness of the drink is balanced by dry gin and two types of citrus.

Head this way for that other New Orleans classic, the Sazerac→