The Monkey Gland
Just A Peculiar Drink?
The Monkey Gland is not the typical drink name and it's origin is, well, interesting. First of all there are two possible authors of the Monkey Gland cocktail. The first is Frank Meier – legendary bartender at the Ritz, Paris, from 1921 to 1947 and there’s Harry MacElhone’s claim. Harry of Harry’s New York Bar, Paris was another famous bartender of the age. The Monkey Gland appears in his 1927 publication Barflies and Cocktails – but Harry was also known for claiming drinks that were not his own. The Monkey Gland is a cocktail of gin, orange juice, grenadine and absinthe named after a surgical technique of grafting monkey testicle tissue into humans. The practice was started by Dr. Serge Voronoff, and was intended to produce longevity. Voronoff, who had studied the physiology of Middle-Eastern eunuchs, was convinced that testosterone was the key to a long and healthy life, and promoted his xenotransplantion procedure as a $5,000 fountain of youth. The public’s interest was piqued, and a drink was born. Pour 4cl Monkey 47, 4cl Fresh Orange Juice, 0,5cl Grenadine, 0,5cl Absinthe into a cocktail shaker with ice cubes. Strain into the chilled cocktail glass and there you go. In 2010, and that is for sure, Klaus St. Rainer, creator and founder of the Goldene Bar in Munich has created a Monkey Gland with a twist. Shake 5cl Monkey 47, 2cl fresh lime juice, 1cl simple syrup (Sugar 1:1 Water) and 4cl of cranberry juice over ice. Double strain into a chilled cocktail glass and enjoy! Thank you Klaus.
