I was told that the original was from a French/British squadron in WWI. The French liked cognac; the Brits preferred gin. The original “French 75” was the 75mm Model 1897 French artillery piece used in World War I.

You can up the alcohol ante more by replacing the lemon juice and much of the simple syrup with Limoncello to make a French 105.

In World War II, the French had a lot of 75-mm guns left in their arsenal. It was hard to convince politicians to allocate money for new artillery. But eventually they joined most other countries and standardized on the 105-mm howitzer. A more powerful gun. A more powerful kick, and the perfect nomenclature for a more powerful cocktail.

Hi, Raphael, I do prefer a lemon garnish, but I don’t recall if I’ve done the part about rubbing the rim of the glass with the peel. I’ll try that next time. Thanks for commenting!

The French 75 is a good thing to discover, and share. I’m glad you enjoy the history, that’s one of my favorite things about these drinks—there seems always to be a story.

Yes, I would say that’s a professional interest.

A salute to military cocktails is a very interesting theme. Perhaps I’ll do just that, thanks.

I hope this one gets you close to your vacation experience…

Let’s say I have a bit of a professional interest: husband in the RAF and my first bit of work in England involved the US Second Air Division Association. ALthough wrong war, I’m sure there must be similar stories. Maybe you should do a salute to military cocktails?

Interesting you should ask. Apparently it was part of the WWI fighter pilots’ culture to “unwind” after combat, in gratitude for their return, and as a farewell to those who didn’t. Over time they developed their rituals and traditions. Some would drink champagne, some cognac, some gin, certainly whatever was available. The Franco-American Lafayette Escadrille was no exception. One story has it that the first 75 (or its prototype) was made by a French flyer named Raoul Lufbery (there are many spellings of his name). There seems to be nothing to support the conjecture, but it is a satisfying story that people like to tell.

I always like it when I discover a favorite. Thanks for letting me know!

The “76” is an intriguing idea, supplying the sweetness with St. Germaine. I’ll have to give that a try. Thanks.

My pleasure. I had never tried it before I researched this article; it was a very enlightening discovery.