Back in the late 1800s, it was illegal to drink more than one Pisco Punch in a 24-hour period. “In those days, it was probably pretty strong and caused a lot of problems among the miners,” speculates Craig Lane, bar manager at Farallon.

Given that history, Lane may be stirring up trouble with his tasty recreations of mid 19th century punches and cocktails. He got the idea after reading Imbibe!, a book recounting the exploits and concoctions of Jerry Thomas, the first bartender to publish a book with cocktail recipes in 1862. Thomas spent time in the City by the Bay, where he likely picked up and perfected his recipe for San Francisco’s infamous punch. “People think the recipe was originally brought to this city by Peruvian sailors,” says Lane. “They favored Pisco, a brandy, because it was cheap. Miners are said to have loved it.”


Farallon's Pisco Punch

In addition to brandy, the Pisco Punch of the original 49ers used pineapple, lemon, and seltzer or spring water. “The Peruvian brandy had such a high proof, they needed to water it down,” says Lane. “I use 80-proof brandy from Chile, so I don’t need to add water.” In his modern-day version, Lane preserves the flavors of pineapples and lemon, but chooses Chilean brandy for its delicate floral qualities. Consume enough Pisco Punch, and you might get in trouble with the law, but it's unlikely supervisors will pass an ordinance restricting intake. In fact, the drink is so refreshing and smooth, if there were room on the city’s official seal, city leaders might be more likely to make it the official San Francisco cocktail than outlaw its consumption.

The delightful Floradora is another libation resurrected by Lane. A Victorian-era bartender created the drink for an actress whose delicate sensibilities demanded something lighter. The original called for gin, lime, raspberry syrup, and ginger ale. In Lane’s contemporary version, he uses strawberry syrup and Laird & Company’s Apple Jack (an aged apple brandy) in place of the raspberry syrup and gin. “I use the strawberries because they are in season,” he says. “I use the apple brandy because it brings out the fruit flavors in the drink. It’s rounder and lighter.”


Farallon's Applejack Floradora

A new and rather ominously named drink is making its debut on the Farallon menu this week. Lane found the recipe for the Mexico City Firing Squad Special in Jigger, Beaker, and Flask, a bar book penned in the 1930s. “The recipe was really short, just two sentences long,” he says. “But I was intrigued because it was one of the few old recipes I’d seen calling for tequila.”

I tasted two versions of the sweet-and-tart tequila drink, one made with hibiscus, one with pomegranate. Whether it’s fruit or flower, the result is the same: This is one of those drinks that sneaks up on you. These are the easy-to-drink cocktails that lead to ill-advised phone calls and dancing on the bar. Not even a firing squad could bring your spirits down.

Farallon, 450 Post St., 415-956-6969