Simple, Fancy, And Familiar — The Cocktail Jacques Pépin Keeps In Rotation

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World-renowned chef Jacques Pépin is full of surprises. He puts croutons in his scrambled eggs. He favors store-bought butter over anything fancy. He makes sad-girl tortilla pizzas when he's short on time. And when it comes to one of his go-to cocktails, that, too, subverts expectations. Ever heard of a "reverse Manhattan?" Allow us (and Pépin) to explain.

In a clip shared by the Jacques Pépin Foundation on Instagram, the French-born cooking star shares some of the sips he keeps on rotation, including this twist on the sweet, woody classic. "When I came to this country, I was introduced to [the] Manhattan. I love Manhattans, too, but I end up doing what I call a reverse Manhattan," he explains in the video. For context, a regular Manhattan is made up of 2 parts whiskey and 1 part vermouth. The reverse version swaps the ratio, going heavier on the sweeter stuff while adding only a dash of whiskey.

When crafting this cocktail, Pépin starts with a lot of ice — a good way to dilute the strong flavors if you're seeking a smoother gulp. As he says, he's "generous" with the red vermouth, a fortified wine notable for its complex taste — rich with notes of caramel, dark fruits, and warming spices like clove and cinnamon. By reversing the ratio of whiskey, which is stronger, sharper, and more boozy, Pépin's drink still has some kick, but a lower ABV and all-around lighter, sweeter profile.

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In order to accommodate the shift in flavor, Jacques Pépin also switches up the drink's garnish. Manhattans are typically finished with maraschino cherries — though you'll also see lemon or orange twists on occasion. But in Pépin's reverse Manhattan, he opts for a lime. It's a smart choice, as the bitter tartness of the citrus fruit effectively cuts through the sweetness of the vermouth, adding some balance.

In response to the unique recipe, one commenter exclaimed, "I love how he 'measures!' I'll take the reverse Manhattan! Yum." Elsewhere on the internet, cocktail connoisseurs praise the drink, which many folks have adopted with their own variations. "This is my first reverse Manhattan," shared one Reddit user on the r/Cocktails subreddit. "It's very nice, crisp, sweet, and refreshing."

Although Pépin's name is often tied to the drink, and he very well may have helped popularize it once it appeared on his show, bartenders have experimented with the ratios of such beverages forever. Indeed, it's been suggested that the "reverse" drink ties back to the way folks enjoyed alcohol in the 1800s, back when vermouth was used less as a modifier and more as the main event. So, Pépin's boozy remix is kind of a classic in its own right.