The Phoebe Snow combines brandy, Dubonnet Rouge and absinthe. I got my recipe from
The Joy of Mixology by Gary Regan. We tried it twice over the Thanksgiving holiday. The first time I used too much absinthe. The recipe calls for a dash. The quick pour I did straight out of the bottle was definitely excessive, even between four glasses. The result was plenty tasty - not even over black-jelly-beanish according to my wife. But with absinthe, clocking in at 110-proof, flavor is only part of the concern. For the second batch, a couple days later, I was a lot more cautious and the result was an improvement. Less is more.
If only I'd had my actual dash measuring spoon with me...
Phoebe Snow was a character in a publicity campaign for Lackawanna and Western Railroad at the turn of the 20th century, intended to promote the company's use of "clean-burning" anthracite.
Phoebe Snow was also the stage name of a 1970s folk musician, best known for her hit
"Poetry Man." Interestingly, the Phoebe Snow Cocktail isn't even the only drink associated with the advertising character. The Brandy Alexander was created for a dinner celebrating her.
When I saw the name "Phoebe Snow" I was thinking it was the name of a train. Did they serve "Phoebe Snows" and "Brandy Alexanders" in their lounge or dining cars?
ReplyDeleteDL&W did, in fact, name a train for the character. It rain from 1949 to 1966.
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