- This is How To Drink, the show about making cocktails
and how to drink them.
I'm Greg, and I have never
been a professional bartender.
I've never even had a job in a bar.
I don't worry too much about precision and technique
because at the end of the day, if the drink you like
is in the glass, you did it right.
Let's get going.
If How To Drink has a show
as a spirit animal
it is the 1934 film
The Thin Man.
If you haven't seen it, it is a
really fun, effervescent
mystery comedy starring
William Powell and Myrna Loy.
It's pre-code.
There is an abundance of drinking in it.
- How many drinks have you had?
- This will make six martinis.
- All right, will you bring m five more martinis?
You'll line them up right here.
- Yes ma'am.
- I could have made a number of drinks from the film.
We're gonna go with the Knickerbocker the classic cocktail.
I know it gets drunk in the book, I'm pretty sure that
Nora Charles, Myrna Loy's character, orders
a Knickerbocker too, in the film.
Interestingly enough, the Nick and Nora Glass
named for the characters of the film
Nick and Nora Charles,
the Nick and Nora Glass is a staple of barware.
It's a true story that Myrna Loy and
William Powell's onscreen chemistry
was so spectacular, that the entire world thought
that they were married, even though, of course,
they were not.
They were just people who worked together.
Now without further adieu, let's make
a damn Knickerbocker.
So, we're gonna make this
with half an ounce of raspberry gum syrup.
(upbeat jazz music)
I need half an ounce of lime juice.
(upbeat jazz music)
I need a quarter ounce orange curacao.
I always like Peter Franz dry curacao.
I think it's, it's my favorite.
(upbeat jazz music)
And I need two and a half ounces of rum.
I am in a very fortunate position of having some
11 year old Santiago de Cuba.
Which would definitely be a period appropriate
rum for 1934.
(upbeat jazz music)
And one half, it's a very strong drink.
This is a shaken drink, so I'm gonna throw
some ice into my shaker.
Nail it shut.
(upbeat jazz music)
So we're gonna garnish this with some berries.
We have raspberry syrup in there, I like the raspberry.
(upbeat jazz music)
Let's find out of I did the Charles's
one of their favorite drinks justice.
I really hope so.
(upbeat jazz music)
Oy is that good.
Wooo.
Oh.
Oh 1934 would have been a dangerous time for me
to be alive because if you could walk into any bar
and order one of these
I don't think I'd ever make it home.
(laughs)
That is good.
Damn.
It is a tart drink that is also very sweet and fruity
and fresh, it just tastes fresh.
This is a drink
that makes me want to dance fox trot.
I don't know how.
But if I did, I would, maybe I do.
Fox trot's a.
(upbeat jazz music)
Oh my God, what a (bleep) good drink.
We have to make more of these.
And I have to say, I'm at a bit of a loss
because, Nick Charles tells me that I have to
shake a Manhattan to a fox trot and a Bronx to a two step.
And a dry martini to a waltz, but he does not tell me
what tempo to shake my Knickerbockers to
and unfortunately, he won't.
If you guys like seeing me do drinks
inspired by movies
and from movies
and about movies,
let me know.
It's an experiment we're trying out,
I'd like to do some more of it but
I kind of need you to tell me that
we should keep doing it.
At any rate, I strongly encourage you
if you're a fan of the show to watch The Thin Man.
I think you'll like that, as well.
And make a Knickerbocker, it's definitely
worthwhile to make.
Thanks for watching.
If you like the show, subscribe.
I like to hear your comments, leave them for me.
I try to get back to them as soon as I can.
Ohhh
this has reminded me that I've fallen
way behind on my drinking.
I have to get caught up.