Bijou

Name: Bijou
Yield: 1
Ingredients: 1 ounce gin; 1 ounce Chartreuse; 1 ounce sweet vermouth; 1 dash orange bitters

The Bijou (meaning jewel in French) cocktail was reportedly invented by Harry Johnson in the 1890's. The oldest recipe I have comes from his 1900 "New And Improved Bartenders Manual". Some think this drink should be served as a "layered" cocktail, but this is clearly not the case since Harry Johnson clearly lists the instructions as "mix well with a spoon and serve." I can understand why somebody might think the layered presentation would be more appropriate because of its name, but it was not the way this drink was originally intended to be served.

Bijou

1 ounce gin
1 ounce Chartreuse
1 ounce sweet vermouth
1 dash orange bitters

Garnish: Cherry and a lemon twist.

Stir with ice. Strain into a cocktail glass.

Source: Harry Johnson (1890's)