Drinking with Rob – the Prime Rib of Washington DC. (USA)

This past November my girlfriend and I were at the Washington DC Prime Rib Piano Bar with Rob. Rob is the consummate Bar Man at the Prime Rib.  Listening to some live jazz from the Pianist and Bass Player, it’s like you are back in the 50's, waiting for Frank to come on the floor.

My girlfriend’s tastes have really become – how do I describe this - extravagant, sophisticated?

No, she still won’t touch Campari.  How about educated? That would be it!

So this evening, I was not all that surprised when Rob asked what she’d like tonight and she ordered a Jack Rose Cocktail, Up.

As I recall, the Jack Rose is considered by David Embury (’48 book The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks) to be one of the six “classic” cocktails. They are …

the Old Fashioned          the Manhattan                        the Martini

the Daiquiri                      the Side Car                     &  the Jack Rose

The  Jack Rose is clearly outnumbered and long ago forgotten. We only stumbled upon it a decade or so ago. It’s a nice cocktail with a blend of sweet (grenadine) and tart (lemon or lime). But what really makes it unique is the “applejack” brandy. This brings it the distinctive apple flavor.

For me that evening, it was an Irish - Bushmills, served neat. Splash of water.

At one point my date asked me to taste her drink. I inquired if it was ok.  She replied,

                “Oh yes. But it’s different from the one you make.”

So later when Rob checked in on us, she asked how he made the Jack Rose Cocktail. He was initially concerned she was not pleased with it. She said,

                “to the contrary. It’s delectable. Just different from what Constantine makes. “

Rob went on to explain that in as much as he did not have applejack nearby he chose instead to substitute the French applejack, much higher end – Calvados. In addition, to enhance the apple flavoring, he added some German apple schnapps – Berentzen Apfel Schnapps.  About this time, I am thinking, this has become a high end “top shelf” cocktail she is enjoying. As he went on discussing his creation, I was just amazed at his thinking. For me, being less sophisticated in my mixology repertoire, I would have stopped at the Calvados. Rob, knowledgeable, inherently knew to add the apfel schnapps, to give it that extra essence of apple flavoring.

Here’s to Rob at the Prime Rib.  A Consummate Mixologist Bar Man.

Jack Rose Cocktail

2 parts Applejack

1 part lemon or lime juice

½ part Grenadine, fresh is better

Or take it up a notch, and make the “Jack Rose by Rob” cocktail.

Shaken, served “Up” with slice of apple and cherry garnish

Appetizer:  Potato Skin Basket

Music:  Brubeck “Take Five”