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At Manhattan's in Carol Stream, We Make Great Manhattan Cocktails!

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The original “Manhattan” cocktail, a mix of American whiskey, Manhattan DrinkItalian vermouth and Angostura bitters, was said to have been concocted by Dr. Iain Marshall in the early 1870s for the special occasion of the visit of Lady Randolph Churchill (Winston’s mother).  The function was a banquet in honor of then presidential candidate Samuel J. Tilden.  The venue was the famous Manhattan Club in New York City. Although others argue that the “sling” was invented in the 1860s by a bartender who worked at a local bar.  Sling, of course, it what people in the late 1800s used to call drinks or cocktails.

Manhattan Drink Specifications by the IBA

Whether one or the other, the “Manhattan became the craze of that generation and its popularity still prevails after almost 150 years.  Traditionalists insist that a Manhattan should be made with rye whiskey.  Others, however, prefer Canadian whiskey or bourbon.

TheManhattan is an official cocktail of the IBA (International Bartenders Organization), and according to their strict rules, a Manhattan should be composed of:

  • 50ml rye or Canadian whisky
  • 20ml sweet red vermouth
  • Dash Angostura bitters
  • Maraschino cherry

 

Over the years, however, the Manhattan has been subject to innovations and variations.  Here are the most popular:

  • A DRY MANHATTAN is made with dry vermouth instead of sweet vermouth and served with a twist.
  • A PERFECT MANHATTAN is made with equal parts of sweet and dry vermouth.
  • A BRANDY MANHATTAN is made with brandy instead of whiskey
  • A METROPOLITAN is made with brandy instead of whiskey and has a ration of 3 to 1 brandy to vermouth
  • A ROYAL MANHATTAN is made with Crown Royal Canadian Whiskey
  • A ROB ROY is made with Scotch whiskey
  • A RUBY MANHATTAN is made with port instead of vermouth

There are also versions with rum, Southern Comfort or tequila, to name a few, leading to the conclusion that, as long as there are bartenders, there will be new and innovative versions of the Manhattan.

Next time you’re in the mood for a Manhattan, you know where to stop:  Manhattan’s American Bar & Grill, where we give you and this drink the importance you both deserve!

Manhattan’s American Bar and Grill in Carol Stream Shares the History of the Thanksgiving Celebration

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You are starting to see the signs:  the Christmas decorations coming up in the stores, the turkeys going on sale, cranberries back in the grocery aisle, pumpkins everywhere you turn.  Yep, it’s Thanksgiving once again, the beginning of our Holiday Season in the U.S.  Believe it or not, it actually took a woman editor, 36 years to get this for us.  Ah the perseverance of a woman is to thank for all that food and feasting.  Welcome to the “History of our Thanksgiving Celebration.”

So we all know the traditional story of how the Governor of the Jamestown colony, William Bradford, declared the first day Thanksgiving to offer praise to God for the bountiful harvest that would see them through the winter months in 1623.  What most of us don’t realize is that Abraham Lincoln was the first to declare it a national holiday in 1863.  His presidential proclamation stated that we were to “set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.” The in between story is also of interest.

Although there were numerous state and city observances of a ‘Day of Thanksgiving’, there was not a traditional date or The history of Thanksgiving, a true U.S. holiday.observance set until 1863.  This came as the result of a 36-year campaign by Sarah Josepha Hale, to have the day designated as a national holiday.  At the time she began her campaign there were only a few states that annually celebrated the holiday, and the South did not have any ‘Thanksgiving’ celebrations at all.  Lincoln designated it as the last Thursday of November, but during the Great Depression, FDR sought to move it a week earlier to encourage a longer shopping season.  He finally gave into pressure and in 1941 signed a bill designating it as the fourth Thursday of November.

Today, the most famous recognition of this holiday is still the Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York.  Each year, every president since the mid-20th century has pardoned one or two turkeys to live in retirement on a farm.  The majority of U.S. citizens will gather with family and friends and eat a traditional Thanksgiving meal consisting of turkey and stuffing  or dressing, cranberries, corn, and potatoes.

New traditions now include people who will volunteer to serve the less fortunate a Thanksgiving meal.  You can click here to see how you can contribute locally to our Food Pantry.

At Manhattan’s American Bar and Grill we will be celebrating  from 11am until 7pm with a Thanksgiving Meal   just like Grandma used to make.  Make your reservations now (630) 871-2991,  and come with you friends and family, and celebrate Thanksgiving with us while you give thanks for all your friends and family and celebrate this truly American holiday.

Happy Thanksgiving From Manhattan’s American Bar and Grill!