Fabled in the lore of old, this drink is no mystery…
The man himself:
The headless horseman (Sleepy Hollow, Headless Horseman, The Hollow) is a famous fable, one born out of mystery and lore. Fabled to be a ghost dating back to the American civil war, at least in theory, the horseman himself is a mystery with no one really knowing who he is or what he wants.
The Tales:
There are several stories and versions of the classic tale, but interestingly there are stories not just from across the States, but also from other parts of the globe:
Two other stories appear across Europe, one in German folklore the horseman hunts those who have committed capital crimes. Another (also in Germany) states the horseman as being accompanied by a pack of fire breathing hounds. Further to this there are several tales in celtic folklore (Old Irish & Scottish tales) and even middle England has its own stories. The horseman, it seems, is a bit of an A-Lister among fables.
The Drink:
This drink is modelled, clearly, on the Moscow Mule (although any similarity may be coincidental), minus the lime.
Boasting a strong vodka content, followed up with some flavourful bitters and all topped with the wonderful mixing capability that comes with the use of Ginger Ale…
The Recipe:
50ml Vodka
3 dashes Angostura
Top up Ginger Ale
The Method:
1) Build the ingredients in a glass, over ice.
2) Top up with the ginger ale.
3) Place a slice of orange in the glass to garnish.
This drink should be rather robust and flavourful. The bitters should come through the ginger ale and give the vodka a little depth. At risk of ruining this drink, to make it a little more to your palate you can add a squeeze of lime juice, but as I say it’s a risk I leave down to you…
This cocktail epitomises what cocktails are all about: Flavour, simplicity and elegance. It won’t win any awards but it sure holds its own against some of the better known cocktails out there.
As a little ending note: this cocktail encapsulates something else too… I am a fervent believer in experimenting with flavours and ingredients in cocktails. Why settle for something standard when you can make it exceptional? This cocktail is a great tasting cocktail that separates itself from other ginger ale topped drinks, and does it well…
The Fervent Shaker 