Cocktail Cabinet No.26: Blood and sand
Evocative but not explicit, and happily delicious
This cocktail is a classic from the original 1930s Savoy Cocktail Book. At the time, its name referred to the film star Rudolph Valentino and his epic bullfighting silent film.
However, its beige-white foam over a reddish base is actually quite ghoulish when you think about it, giving the cocktail a gothic horror tinge. Evocative but not explicit, and happily delicious.
We use sweet red vermouth here, such as Cinzano or Martini & ...