The Fox River

In working on my next book on Cocktails I ran across this after one of the KC Usual Suspects, J.W. brought me a copy of the new magazine, "The Feast".


The story behind this cocktail is almost as interesting as the cocktail itself.

The cocktail originated in a small town west of Chicago called Valley View, Illinois, which is situated on the Fox River. A nearby restaurant called Al Capone’s Hideaway & Steakhouse unfortunately closed its doors in 2012. Before it donned Mr. Capone’s name, the space was home to a bar and restaurant “getaway” or “hideaway” for crime kingpins from the neighboring big city. In the early 20th century, co-owner Gladys Reitmayer stated that she used to make her own beer behind a chicken coop out back and siphon it into the bar via copper pipes. Because the bar was frequented by criminals and gangsters and was located on the banks of the river bearing the cocktail’s name.

I can imagine sitting in a dark Speakeasy gently swirling this drink and watching all the "interesting people" that passed by.

To make the Fox River
Ingredients
1 sugar cube
5 dashes peach bitters
2 tsp creme de cacao
2 oz Whiskey
1 lemon peel

Saturate sugar cube in bitters in bottom of rocks glass
Add Ice (1 large cube is best)
Pour in creme de cacao
add Whiskey squeez lemon peel over top and drop in glass
Swirl the glass to mix do not use utensils and serve

This is a very mellow drink and as with most prohibition cocktails the extra sugar and sweetener are added to make up for most inferior alcohol in the day.

I Highly Recommend giving the Fox River a try at the next gathering of your Usual Suspects

Cheers
The Professor

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