My friend Tim recently introduced me to The Thin Man, the 1934 detective film with the lovable Nick and Nora Charles. Nick is a retired detective, who loves his cocktails and reluctantly gets dragged back into solving crimes. His wife Nora has impeccable style and undeniable charm and can hold her own. [Nora to Nick: How many drinks have you had?; Nick: This will make six Martinis.; Nora to the waiter: All right. Will you bring me five more Martinis, Leo? Line them right up here.]
The best parts of the movie are the clothes (they had amazing style in the 1930s!), the flirty banter of Nick and Nora, and their love of cocktails. When we first meet Nick he is shaking a drink explaining the following to a staff of bartenders, “The important thing is the rhythm. Always have rhythm in your shaking. Now a Manhattan you shake to fox-trot time, a Bronx to two-step time, a dry martini you always shake to waltz time.”
So, for my inaugural viewing of the film, it was only appropriate to make one of the cocktails that Nick mentions. I chose the Bronx, featuring gin, both sweet and dry vermouths with orange juice added. Like most pre-prohibition cocktails, there are a few stories about this drinks origins. Dale DeGroff credits Johnny Solon with creating the drink while tending bar at the Waldorf-Astoria. For our drinks, I chose to bust open my newly purchased bottle of Carpano Antica (gosh that stuff is awesome!) and I think it added a nice richness to our Bronx.
The Bronx Cocktail
1 ½ oz gin
½ oz sweet vermouth
½ oz dry vermouth
1 oz orange juice
Shake well (to a two-step time, as Nick suggests). Strain and garnish with orange peel.
To Nick and Nora. Cheers!
5 comments
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June 8, 2010 at 1:57 pm
Emily Silet
Aw, my dad (the former film professor) would be proud! I love The Thin Man, and am glad you’re introducing the series to your blog. I’ll have a Bronx tonight to celebrate!
June 9, 2010 at 2:43 am
Doug
Thanks for raising the memory of Nick and Nora; it reminds me that it’s time for a refresher viewing of that delightful series. I’m trying to recall if Nick ever poured a Bronx onscreen; I think not, but I also think it most certainly would have been part of his milieu, as you suggest. I’ve never had a Bronx with Carpano A., that sounds like something to look forward to. As for this evening, let’s take a look in the fridge. Hey, there’s some oranges in here…
June 9, 2010 at 2:03 pm
Jenn
Doug, I don’t think we ever see Nick pour or drink a Bronx– I think its all Martinis. Although in the scene where they are hosting a party, he is walking around with a tray of various drinks…
Cheers.
June 9, 2010 at 6:51 pm
Doug
“Various,” yes, that’s a good concept. There must be one on that tray somewhere…
October 15, 2010 at 5:25 pm
Lisa
Wasn’t there something about not having a drink until Asta barked which usually occured at 5 PM?
I haven’t seen the movie but whenever my parents were ready for a drink on a Friday night one of them would say “Asta is barking”.