If you’re alone and trying to sound fancy in a fancy bar, one method is to start the argument of how to make a proper original French 75. Did the French invent the drink or was it the British? Should it contain Gin or Cognac, maybe Armagnac?
If you’re entertaining company and hoping to come off as less of an ass (no judgment, but it’s just not our style) then you could simply enjoy that the delightfully refreshing drink, regardless of its origins, packs a hell of a wallop any way you make it.
On a sunny afternoon – preferably outdoors when pears are in season – another way to infuriate your bartender would be to ask for your French 75 with pear puree. The dry pear texture pairs (sorry) with the citrus perfectly, plus it’ll leave your drink slightly less alcoholic and you might be able to drink more than three before you’ve forgotten how to convert pounds to Francs. Plus, you get the bonus spectacle of watching your bartender grow increasingly frustrated as the pear puree causes the champagne to fizz and spill over repeatedly and obscenely.
The ingredients:
1 oz Gin (we used Botanist)
½ oz Lemon Juice
1 oz Pear Puree
Champagne
Lemon Twist
Start by combining the gin, lemon juice, and pear puree over ice in a martini shaker. Shake thoroughly, then use a fork to strain the ice cubes out as you pour into a champagne flute. (You don’t want to strain too fine or you’ll lose the pear’s texture.) Very slowly fill the rest of the flute with champagne, then top with a lemon twist for garnish.