The Waldorf Astoria New York has certainly stood the test of time, but recently Frank Caiafa gave a classic 1934 tome inspired by the hotel’s elegant bars a modern update to reflect today’s cocktail culture. The Waldorf Astoria Bar Book offers recipes, mixology tips and history inspired by Caiafa’s time as bar manager at Peacock Alley. Recipes from the original publication appear alongside drinks like The Peacock found on today’s menu.
“The Peacock, being our signature cocktail, is our most popular. Although a simple riff on the Cosmopolitan, which was at its peak of popularity while we reopened Peacock Alley in 2005, it was also one of our firsts to rethink the classics,” he says. “One of our goals was to try new approaches to standard offerings even if it meant using forgotten pre-Prohibition ingredients or methods.”
Get the recipe for The Peacock below, and for more recipes and tips, get Caiafa’s book.
THE PEACOCK
2 oz. Cranberry-infused vodka
½ oz. Marie Brizard Apry apricot liqueur
1 oz. fresh lemon juice
½ oz. Simple syrup
½ Egg white
Add all ingredients to mixing glass and dry-shake for five seconds. Add ice and shake well. Fine-strain into chilled cocktail glass. Twist lemon peel to release oils, then discard. Garnish with dried apricot (optional).
Cranberry-Infused Vodka
Place 2 cups fresh (or frozen) cranberries in airtight glass container. Add 32 oz. vodka. Seal and let rest for at least 1 week. Fine-strain and funnel back into bottle.
