Before I tell you the story, for anyone who wants to recreate it at home I've put together a ready-to-shop list with all the exact ingredients you need. Now, onto the legend.
The French 75 was born in Harry's New York Bar in Paris during World War I, created by bartender Harry MacElhone around 1915. The cocktail was named after the famous Canon de 75, the French 75-millimeter field gun that earned legendary status on the Western Front for its speed and power. Soldiers said drinking the cocktail felt like being hit by the gun.
The recipe was popularized by the Savoy Cocktail Book of 1930 and became an icon of Jazz Age nightlife in Paris, London and New York. Its most famous cinematic moment? In "Casablanca" (1942), Humphrey Bogart's Rick serves two French 75s at his café, sealing the cocktail forever into the mythology of wartime elegance.
Beyond the ingredients, what makes a home cocktail truly memorable is the gear. A proper barman kit like this one on Amazon gives you the shaker, jigger, strainer and bar spoon you need to treat every guest like a regular at a legendary bar. And if you love entertaining, upgrading to a full professional cocktail bar station turns your kitchen corner into a real, organized bar where bottles stand ready and nothing is out of place.