Fog Cutter Cocktail

Fog Cutter Cocktail Story

Forget debating who created the original Mai Tai: Don the Beachcomber had to bring in the cavalry to claim ownership of the original Fog Cutter. Bartender Tony Ramos, a member of the original bar team at Don’s Los Angeles restaurant, cites Edna Earl’s Fog Cutter restaurant as the inspiration for the drink. Trader Vic, however, published a recipe for the drink in 1947, years before Edna took over the venerable establishment. But the Fog Cutter restaurant, named after a deadly diving knife, was a steakhouse - hardly evocative of a tropical haven. Whoever served it first, the Fog Cutter certainly encapsulates the peculiarity of mid-century West Coast gastronomic glamour. Both Don and Vic’s recipes call for rum, brandy (Don preferred pisco,) gin, and a float of sherry, resulting in a creamy and bright alternative to other spice-heavy potions from the tiki catalogue.