Henry C. Ramos may be a name that bartenders curse. Conversely, in 1888, Ramos was responsible for creating one of the most luxurious cocktails in the world: the Ramos Fizz. It’s an extremely labor-intensive and time-consuming beverage, hence the apparent disdain by some who have to make it. According to bartender Manny Hernandez at Stokes Adobe, legend has it that a bar in New Orleans, the city where it was invented, had a policy of increasing the price by $1 every time it was ordered, ultimately fetching an astronomical $125 for the gin-spirited cocktail.
Only a handful of bars in Monterey County are able (or willing) to make the libation. In addition to Stokes Adobe, the recently opened Crema in Pacific Grove lists one on the menu. Key ingredients needed for the cocktail are orange flower water and heavy cream, but the entire process of making the drink is painstakingly slow, sucking up a bartender’s precious time for a bare minimum of six minutes just for the shaking.
“I really like to drink them,” Stokes Adobe bartender Nica Farrahi says almost sarcastically.
The result of the fabled gin fizz cocktail is pillowy soft and creamy refreshment. Hernandez laughs at the notion that it is scorned by bartenders, but emphasizes that it must be understood. He says it makes him think about how it was made back during the turn of the 20th century.
A word to those who wish to try it: Patience goes a long way, and be aware of how busy the bar may be.