Monkey Gland

*WARNING* Rated NC-17 Sexual Content

You’ve seen a fuzzy navel and had sex on the beach. Maybe you said, “bend over shirley” or begged for a screaming orgasm. Then, there is the forbidden desire for a Monkey Gland. All are cocktails with names meant to elicit an emotional response from someone like you, dear reader.

Do I have your attention?

The Monkey Gland was created and became popular in the 1920’s. It’s a classic. If you get past the name and the image it conjures up, you will enjoy a delicious drink. It’s popularity exploded because of a trio of powerful attributes. It has a sexually suggestive name, contains absinthe, a taboo ingredient and it’s really, really good!

Origin of the Monkey Gland

Creation of the monkey gland is credited to Harry MacElhone, owner of Harry’s New York Bar in Paris, France or to Frank Meier of the Paris Ritz Hotel. Paris was the epicenter of the monkey gland phenomenon because of the proximity to one Dr. Serge Voronoff.

How the Monkey Gland Got It’s Name

In 1920 the medical community was still searching for the fountain of youth. Russian born but French educated Dr. Voronoff began to research grafting animal tissue to other animals and humans. The goal was to transfer desirable animal characteristics to the graft recipients. His specialty involved grafting the tissue of monkey testicles to the nether regions of male humans. Voronoff claimed the hormonal transfer would increase longevity and the placebo effect initially reinforced his claim. Beginning in 1920 he performed two thousand surgeries, charging patients $5,000 to $10,000 each. He was eventually discredited, but the famous cocktail lives on.

Harry MacElhone and Frank Meier capitalized on the sensational story with the Monkey Gland. It remains a favorite on the cocktail menu of the Monkey Bar located in New York City and was a hit with our esteemed taste testers at Cook Savor Celebrate.