Gaby Des Lys – Recipe from David Embury’s ‘The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks’

1 part Orgeat

4 parts Gin 

3 of 4 dashes Absinthe to each drink

Shake vigorously with crushed ice.

Gaby Deslys was born in 1881 and as she grew older quickly rose to prominence as an alluring dancer and connected to several wealthy gentlemen, including the then King of Portugal. She toured all over Europe and the US dancing such famous dances as the ‘Ju-Jitsu Waltz, Grizzly Bear and Turkey Trot’. Awesome.

Her career extended to several French films and one Hollywood one, and at one stage was making $4000 per week dancing, around about what Lukaku earns at Everton, or £3 900 000 per annum in todays money. She was doing quite well for herself.

Sadly she contracted Spanish Flu along with most of the rest of the world sometime before 1920 and after several operations to try and clear up a throat infection passed away in 1920 at the young age of 38.

I love that she has a drink named after her, and 30 odd years after her death it was important enough for Embury to include in his guide. The drink I think is appropriate for her, the orgeat and absinthe lean towards her French upbringing and it’s a light classy elegant drink, one which does need the right gin to be magnificent. I’d go with a lighter and more floral number versus something heavier, so just like Gaby, not a classic London Dry.