The name of this drink takes me right back to my childhood. For some reason, my father would say “Harvey Wallbanger!” in a silly voice and I would laugh like only a four-year-old can. In my memory this is related to Sesame Street, and a quick web search brings back Harvey Kneeslapper (the teller of terrible jokes), which may be tied together somewhere in my juvenile brain. But further searching suggests the joke actually related to The Hilarious House of Frightenstein, a series I watched in the early, early mornings of my childhood. If you’ve never watched this series, well, it’s on YouTube for your discovery and enjoyment.
Anyway.
We were three for dinner, and time and resources were at a premium. Thus, it seemed the perfect days to try out the last of my sunny orange cocktails (see here and here).
This is a classic cocktail. There are competing origin stories, but it appears to have had its birth in the late 1960s (as with so many other wonderful things). Today the biggest issue with this cocktail is the proportions. Here’s what we made:
Ingredients
- 6 ice cubes
- 6 oz. orange juice
- 2 oz. vodka
- 0.5 oz. Galliano
- Orange slices and maraschino cherries
Put 3 ice cubes into a chilled cocktail glass. Shake the other 3 ice cubes with the orange juice and vodka; strain the mixture into the glasses. Float the Galliano on top of the poured drink; garnish with a maraschino cherry and an orange slice.
The verdict: This is sweet and yummy! The vanilla note comes forward as you take your first sip. I poured this into oversized wine glasses just to use the glassware, but this choice caused the ice to melt a bit too fast, so be sure to stick with the traditional tall, thin glass for serving this drink.