Milwaukee author wants you to drink like a woman
Jeanette Hurt explored the adult beverage world for eight months researching cocktails for her book "Drink Like a Woman: Shake. Stir. Conquer. Repeat." (Seal Press, $16).
Before you ask how you can get a job with those kind of benefits, it pays to know that Hurt's historical research called for more time in a library chair than a barstool.
The stories she came away with could drive a gal to drink. After Prohibition, the Hotel and Restaurant Employees and Bartender's International Union restricted women from serving alcohol and several states had laws against women tending bar as late as 1971. Such a pity when you consider the story of Nancy Morgan Hart.
As Hurt tells it, during the American Revolution six soldiers came to Hart's Georgia farm demanding food but the patriot served them more than they bargained for. She also poured them homemade corn whiskey and got them drunk enough she could easily take away their weapons. Then she fired, killing one and injuring others.
The rest of Hurt's stories are filled with more spirits than violence but it's an intriguing way to kick off a book that tells the story of women's rights in the beverage industry while simultaneously serving delicious cocktail recipes.
Consider the "Dirty Helen." Helen Cromwell, who lived from 1886 to 1969, was a madam, a Milwaukee tavern keeper and a friend of Al Capone. The dirty part is a reference to her penchant for profanities. To make the Dirty Helen you'll need bourbon, maraschino liqueur and orange bitters. Skip the garnish.
At her home in the Bay View neighborhood, Hurt chops tomatoes and drops them into a juicer to the make the base for a Bloody Mary Richards, a fresh twist on the Bloody Mary using chili paste and natural flavorings instead of a mix. The recipe pays homage to the fictional Mary Tyler Moore Show character — among the first independent career women reflected in a TV series.
She used a small Oxo cup to measure what she needed in the drink because "you can't always see that with a jigger." Hurt hired someone to teach her how to use cocktail equipment properly but some things she learned on her own.
The book has a chapter on stocking the home bar and Hurt offers advice on making the chore less expensive. Among her suggestions: A kitchen strainer will work as well as a cocktail strainer. Search thrift stores and yard sales for glassware. Among her tips: If you don't have a shaker use a glass jar. If you buy a shaker, make sure it fits your hand comfortably.
Then there are the cleverly named drinks. The Mansplainer Antidote is designed to take the edge off a long-winded explanation from the opposite sex. It includes a generous pour of Woodford Reserve Rye.
Hurt includes a story with each cocktail recipe and introduces the mixologists who created them in a separate chapter. Milwaukee is well-represented. Katie Rose, co-owner of Goodkind, created the recipes for Bra Burner, Felix Fixer and The Invasion of Women.
Marcy Skowronski, the 90-year-old owner of the Holler House, where women are encouraged to leave their bras on the ceiling, served as the inspiration for Bra Burner. And Lucy Saunders, founder of BeerCook.com and author of beer-related cookbooks, created the Lady Lambic recipe.
Drink up. Enjoy. But also "appreciate the fight that women bartenders went through," Hurt said.
Hurt will take her book on the road. Look for her at Great Lakes Distillery, 616 W. Virginia St., 6 p.m. Nov. 7; at the Iron Horse Hotel, 500 W. Florida St., 7 p.m. Nov. 10; at the Amish Craftsman Guild, W64 N707 Washington Ave., Cedarburg, 6 p.m. Nov. 18; and at the Shops at Cedar Creek Settlement, N70 W6340 Bridge Road, Cedarburg, noon to 3 p.m. Dec. 3.
Cocktail recipes
