We explore the history of a cocktail called the French 75, with journalist and LSU professor John Maxwell Hamilton, who has written a book about the drink. Here is a French 75 recipe from Arnaud’s in New Orleans, where the bar is named after the drink:
1 ounce Cognac
¼ ounce fresh lemon juice
¼ ounce simple syrup
Top with about 2 ounces brut Champagne
Place the Cognac, lemon juice, and simple syrup in a shaker filled with ice. Shake to chill and pour into a tulip Champagne glass. Add the Champagne and garnish with a twist of lemon.