Misstropolis

Wednesday, April 09, 2008

Cocktails for a Cause

by Clara Silverstein

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“Sex and the City” turned cosmopolitans into the poster drink for gab fests among girlfriends; but what about pink gin, Martha Washington’s rum punch, and the Hanky Panky?

The members of Ladies United for the Preservation of the Endangered Cocktail (LUPEC) could tell you a thing or three about the history of drinks for dames. And there’s a lot more to talk about than frou-frou daiquiris.

The Boston chapter of what is billed as the “first and only female-oriented cocktail society” promotes the fun of the cocktail party of course, but also the history and customs among female drinkers. Now that retro cocktails are making a comeback and drink menus devised by “mixologists” have become almost as popular as the food that goes with them, LUPEC is making sure women don’t get lost in the crowd at the bar.

“A lot of us studied women’s history in college and don’t end up using it after we graduate,” says Misty Kalkofen, who started the Boston chapter last February and is also the bar manager at Green Street in Cambridge. “This gives us a chance to have a party themed around women’s history each month, instead of just going to a bar, drinking cosmos and talking about our lives.”

LUPEC held its most recent event, a Women’s History Month cocktail party featuring St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur at Toro in the South End. The menu for the evening used St. Germain in several cocktails, including the Gunpowder Gertie (mixed with spiced rum and fresh lime juice) and the Mil Besos (with cachaca, Prosecco, and fresh lemon juice). From a table in the center of the crowded room, members raised plenty of glasses, and also cheerfully handed out literature about the group to any men and women who were interested. Sales from their eight featured cocktails went to the Friends Boutique of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, a shop for women coping with the physical side effects of cancer treatment. LUPEC is not just about imbibing; every event raises money and awareness for a cause.

Once a month, the 10 members also take turns hosting cocktail parties in their homes. Each one has a theme and drinks that fit into it. A New Orleans night was called “The Cradle of Cocktails and the Women Who Rocked It.” One of the favorites served that night was Ramos gin fizz, made with egg whites, gin, and orange flower water, all vigorously shaken for about 10 minutes. “It was a beautiful-tasting drink with the consistency of a cloud,” says Lauren Clark, a founding member of LUPEC and publisher of drinkboston.com.

Clark organized the “Drink, Dames and Classic Cinema” party after researching drinks named after movies and stars including Ginger Rogers. She decorated with still photos of actresses holding drinks. For Clark, a beer expert and former brewer, cruising the internet and libraries for cocktail resources is always part of the fun. “There’s so much lore about cocktails, even if their actual history is in dispute. Everyone in our group likes to learn about them.”

LUPEC fundraisers often generate tremendous results. In October, the group raised more than $10,000 for Jane Doe, Inc., the Massachusetts Coalition Against Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence, at a party held at the Boston Sailing Center in Cambridge. The event succeeded beyond what Kalkofen ever expected.

“It was amazing to see so many gracious donations and to be able to sell hundreds of dollars worth of raffle tickets. Then it’s rewarding to be able to turn to the charities and be able to hand them a lot of money,” she says.

An ongoing fundraiser for the Friends Boutique is sales of the group’s self-published “Little Black Book of Cocktails” ($15) at events or by emailing them at . The members who contributed recipes each chose a signature cocktail, plus a few other favorites. High-contrast, black-and-white photos of the members in black dresses and pearls by local photographer Matt Demers give the book a nightclubby, retro look.

Clark found her signature drink, the Barbara West (see recipe below), in a book about forgotten cocktails by Ted Haigh. “Nobody can find out who Barbara West was, but I like this drink because it’s really dry and a good aperitif,” she says. Kalkofen chose the Hanky Panky, made by a female bartender at the American Bar in London, from the Savoy Cocktail Book.

Other recipes, historical anecdotes and news of upcoming events are posted on the group’s blog. One recent post relates the story of Texas Guinan, a pal of Mae West’s who owned New York speakeasies during Prohibition, and greeted customers, “Hello, sucker!” It includes a recipe for her cocktail – the Scoff Law. Though the next public LUPEC event is still being planned, the blog encourages female runners in the Boston Marathon with a recipe for the Aviation cocktail from Eastern Standard in Kenmore Square.

The Irma La Douce (a LUPEC Boston original)
Makes 1 drink

This drink is named after the movie “Irma La Douce,” which stars Shirley MacLaine as a Parisian prostitute who wears bright green stockings.

1 1/2 ounces Hendricks gin
1/2 ounce green Chartreuse
1/2 ounce cucumber puree (see note)
1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice
1/2 ounce fresh grapefruit juice
1/4 ounce simple syrup (see note)

Place all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and add ice. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
Notes: Make cucumber puree by peeling a fresh cucumber. Pureeing it in a blender or food processor, then strain through a sieve.
Make simple syrup by mixing 2 parts sugar and 1 part water in a pot. Place over medium heat and gently cook (a bare simmer at most) until the sugar has completely dissolved, stirring occasionally. Cool completely before using.

English Channel (chosen by Misty Kalkofen)
Makes 1 drink

1 ounce Chartreuse
1/2 ounce Pimms No. 1
Champagne, as needed
Lemon twist, for garnish

Stir the Chartreuse and Pimms over ice and strain into a flute. Top with chilled Champagne and garnish with a lemon twist.

Barbara West (chosen by Lauren Clark)
Makes 1 drink

2 ounces dry gin
1 ounce sherry (preferably Amontillado)
1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice
Small dash Angostura bitters
Lemon twist, for garnish

Place all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and add ice. Shake and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Recipes from the LUPEC Boston “Little Black Book of Cocktails”

Photos (except Savoy Cocktail Book) by Matt Demers