The Colbert Bump
Continuing Stephen Colbert’s streak of faux(?)-egomania, Dave Wondrich was on last night to craft a signature “Colbert” cocktail. The result? The “Colbert Bump,” fashioned after the “Cherry Bounce.”
Colbert Bump
- 1 oz. Cherry Heering
- 1.5 oz. gin (a “liberal pour” har har)
- 0.25 oz. lemon juice
Pour over ice in an iced tea glass. Top with soda water and stir.
– Dave Wondrich
According to Wondrich, his inspiration was a “Cherry Bounce,” which was a favorite of George Washington. Wikipedia, who lists the official recipe as cherries and sugar soaked in brandy, also tells us that the British hamlet of Frithsden claims to have invented the idea.
How’s Your Drink author Eric Felten recently highlighted the drink in a Wall Street Journal column, which includes Martha Washington’s charming recipe:
Extract the Juice of 20 pounds of well ripend Morrella Cherrys Add to this 10 quarts of Old French brandy and sweeten it with White Sugar to your taste—To 5 Gallons of this mixture add one ounce of Spice Such as Cinnamon, Cloves and Nutmegs of each an Equal quantity Slightly bruis’d and a pint and half of Cherry kernels that have been gently broken in a mortar—After the liquor has fermented let it Stand Close-Stoped for a month or Six weeks—then bottle it remembering to put a lump of Loaf Sugar into each bottle.
– Martha Washington (via Eric Felten)
As for the “Colbert Bump,” it’s so-so. In the various permutations of the Cherry Bounce I surveyed, you’ll find recipes calling for brandy, rum, and even bourbon or whiskey, but none that I observed called for gin — I think there may be a reason for that. (BTW, check out this Bounce recipe from a 1933 cookbook, courtesy of The Blushing Hostess.)
So if Colbert’s drink is red, would Jon Stewart’s call for blue curacao?
