Monkey Gland Recipe
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The Monkey Gland is a gin-based cocktail blended with orange juice and enlivened by grenadine and Pernod. Few classic cocktails of such appealing character have such odious names. Harry MacElhone, owner of Harry’s New York Bar in Paris, is credited with mixing the first Monkey Gland in the 1920s. The sonorous sobriquet was inspired by the work of Serge Voronoff, a Russian who experimented with the sexual organs of monkeys for rejuvenation. The verdict is not in on the procedures with the naughty bits of monkeys, but the bygone fashionable drink is a reliable rejuvenator.
Order a Monkey Gland by its ingredients rather than its name. Older bartenders may have a flash of recognition, but younger ones will be clueless. Tell them it’s something you’ve been monkeying around with.
The original recipe for the Monkey Gland called for anisette, but both Pernod and Bénédictine have become common substitutions.
This recipe was featured as part of our New Year’s Eve Speakeasy Party.
- 2 ounces gin
- 1 1/2 ounces fresh orange juice
- 2 dashes of grenadine
- 2 dashes of Pernod or Bénédictine
- Twist of orange peel
- Shake the gin, orange juice, grenadine, and Pernod very well with ice; then strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with orange peel.
This recipe, while from a trusted source, may not have been tested by the CHOW food
team.
Copyright Quirk Books
Just to clarify, Harry's New York Bar was in Paris, France.
France, unlike the United States and several European countries, did not have a prohibition.
However, France DID outlaw Absinthe in 1914, due to misconceptions about the spirit.
Monkey- What license? Harry made this in the '20s, I doubt he was concerned about the legality of Absinthe. You were just as guilty just having whiskey or beer. lol
I just made this substituting Absinthe Bitters instead of Pernod. It tastes great, but then I cut off my ear.
Monkey,
You seem to know your history, check up on your current events. We are blessed with a number of authentic and fully legal Absinthe hitting the market right now. This drink is a crime without real Absinthe and good Grenadine (Norester knows his/her stuff).
Since absinthe was banned in France in 1915, I doubt Harry would have risked his liquor license to use it in this drink.
I believe that it would have been originally made with absinthe; Pernod is used as a substitute for absinthe, both with the distinct anise flavor.
Note about the Pernod- it and its cousins (Absente and Herbsaint are a couple) can take over a drink in the blink of an eye. Don't be tempted to add extra.
As with all classic cocktails including grenadine, you will do this one a great injustice using sickly sweet imitation grenadine. Do what all the great mixed cocktails intend and use pomegranate grenadine. There are many variations to the appropriate recipe but to make things succinct simply add equal parts cane sugar and 100% pomegranate juice (not with other juices added). Heat at a low temp until melted and clear, let cool and enjoy...
Thanks for asking, jmicoleau! Pernod and Benedictine are both French liqueurs. Pernod -- http://www.pernod.net/-- is an anise-flavored liqueur that is flavored with star anise oil and other herbs while Benedictine -- http://www.benedictine.fr/anglais/ -- is made from a base of Cognac that is then mixed with more than 20 herbs and aromatics.
What is Pernod and what is benedictine?