A cocktail named after a field gun
in 1890 General Mathieu, Director of Artillery at the Ministry of War, had been informed that Konrad Haussner, a German engineer working at the Ingolstadt arsenal, had patented an oil-and-compressed-air long-recoil system. They also learned that Krupp was considering introducing the system after testing it. Krupp would later reject Haussner’s invention, due to insoluble technical problems caused by hydraulic fluid leakage. In 1891 Haussner sold his patents to a firm named Gruson, which searched for potential buyers. After reviewing the blueprints in February 1892, the French artillery engineers advised that a gun should be produced without purchasing the Haussner invention. It took five more years under the overall leadership of Mathieu’s successor, General Deloye, to perfect and finally adopt in March 1898 an improved and final version of the Deport 75 mm long-recoil field gun. The public saw it for the first time during the Bastille Day parade of 14 July 1899.
At the start of World War I, in 1914, the French Army had about 4,000 of these field guns in service. By the end of the war about 12,000 had been produced. The French 75 mm field gun was a quick-firing field artillery piece .Its official French designation was: Matériel de 75mm Mle 1897.
It was designed as an anti-personnel weapon system for delivering large volumes of time-fused shrapnel shells on enemy troops advancing in the open.
The French 75 introduced a new concept in artillery technology: rapid firing without realigning the gun after each shot. It easily delivered fifteen aimed rounds per minute and could fire even faster for short periods of time . It’s accuracy, and the lethality of the ammunition made the French 75 superior to all other regimental field artillery at the time. When made ready for action, the first shot buried the trail spade and the two wheel anchors into the ground, following which all other shots were fired from a stable platform.
According to Difford’s Guide, the French 75 cocktail is named after the French field gun.
It is said that a French bartender decided to create a specialty WWI-inspired cocktail named “Soixante-Quinze,” But some say it was Scot Harry MacElhone who named the drink. But I have also found the name : Henri Tépé.
The first version of the drink, which was served in a Nick and Nora glass, was made of dry gin, applejack brandy, grenadine, and lemon juice. About seven years later, a new rendition was introduced under the name “75” Cocktail. It was made up of dry gin, calvados, lemon juice, and grenadine and served in a coupe glass. Shortly thereafter, that recipe was altered to include absintheand not lemon juice.
Todays 75 cocktail is made with one part gin, three parts champagne, lemon juice, and simple syrup or sugar
Sources: Wikipedia
Images : encyclopaedia Britannica