Message 18270 of 39188 in General Discussion

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In the UK if you order a classic champagne cocktail the drink you will 
invariably recieve will be a sugar cube soaked in Angostura Bitters dropped 
into the bottom of a large champagne flute, covered with a measure of Cognac 
and topped with champagne. I have a few old recipe books that all qoute the 
drink as being served without the Cognac being added... 

The fine art of mixing drinks 1948, Place a medium sized loaf of sugar in the 
glass and saturate it with Angostura Bitters, fill thoroughly with chilled 
Champagne, add a twist of lemon or orange peel or both.

Official mixers manual 1940, 1 cube ice, 1 dash angostura bitters, 1 lump of 
sugar, 1 piece of orange peel, 1 piece of lemon peel, fill up with champagne, 
stir gently.

Mr Boston 1935, 1 cube sugar, 2 dashes bitters, top with chilled champagne.

The Savoy cocktail book 1930, Put into a wine glass one lump of sugar, and 
saturate it with Angostura Bitters. Having added to this one lump of ice, fill 
the glass with champagne, squeeze on the top a piece of lemon peel, and serve 
with a slice of orange.

How is this drink served outside the UK???

If its served in the same manner as in the UK when did Cognac first get added 
to the recipe? By whom? and where? and why did it catch on to such an extent 
that (in the UK at least) Cognac is considered part of the standard recipe????

The fine art of mixing drinks qoutes the current UK recipe as a MAHARAJAH'S 
BURRA PEG but I cant find a ref for a drink of that name anywhere else!!!!