Kennedy and Steinem would lecture together on college campuses in the 1970s, and the crowds would inevitably include a heckler.

“Just pause,” Kennedy advised, “let the audience absorb the hostility. Then say, ‘I didn’t pay him to say that.’”

Because ultimately, Steinem wrote, hostility educates an audience — about what stands in the way of progress and why it’s important to keep pushing.

So when Jessica Calarco’s phenomenal new book, “Holding It Together: How Women Became America’s Safety Net,” came out less than a month after NFL kicker Harrison Butker used a college commencement address to tell “the ladies present today” that “homemaker” would be their most important title, I thought, “She didn’t pay him to say that. … But, man, it would have been money well-spent.”

Calarco is a sociologist and author whose latest work interrogates the ways in which unpaid or underpaid women keep society afloat by bearing the brunt of the labor of child rearing, early education, health care, elder care and more — and why this system is broken, unsustainable and beneficial to almost no one except the wealthiest of the wealthy.

“The U.S. avoids catastrophe and keeps our society and our economy from crumbling by relying on women as the invisible glue,” Calarco writes.

“Holding It Together” is based on research Calarco and her team conducted from 2018 to 2022, 400 hours of interviews and two national surveys. She weaves in contemporary history, long-held economic principles and hundreds of families’ personal experiences to show the toll on women — and society — when we spin this set-up as a value system rather than calling it what it really is: exploitation.

“In essence, the U.S. has decided that we can get by without a social safety net because women will protect us instead,” Calarco writes. “That choice is drowning women and leaving our society sicker, sadder and more stressed. Yet the engineers and profiteers of our DIY society refuse to see women struggling, because acknowledging those struggles would shatter the illusion. Ignoring women leaves us exactly where they want us — keeping society afloat without any buoy to hold us, and so out of breath that no one can hear us if we cry.”

She writes about the way our culture raises girls to be “mothers-in-waiting,” the way our schools limit access to evidence-based education about avoiding pregnancy, the way our policies curtail birth control access and abortion rights, and then the way we write off unplanned pregnancies (which make up roughly half of all U.S. pregnancies) as the result of poor choices.

She points out that 90% of workers hired to care for the resulting children are women, and they’re among the lowest-paid in the U.S. economy — often lacking access to health insurance or paid sick leave.

She writes about the American obsession with rags-to-riches stories, callousness toward poor people and widespread beliefs that prosperity and health are simply the result of good choices. All of which serve to “divide and delude us into accepting the DIY society and women’s role as a substitute safety net.”

She notes that simply telling men to take on more of the domestic burden isn’t a solution.

“Telling men ‘Do more!’ doesn’t change the incentives that men have to dump the risk they face onto the women in their families — the same set of incentives that leads privileged women to dump the risk they’ve been handed onto others more vulnerable than them,” Calarco writes. “Telling men ‘Do more!’ also doesn’t change the gendered structure of our economy, the gendered pressures that men face to prioritize paid work over caregiving or the gendered differences in socialization that leave men less prepared to do the work of care.”

It also, Calarco writes, hands women yet more thankless roles: gender police and cleanup crew.

The answer, Calarco makes painstakingly clear, is an actual social safety net, made up of well-funded public programs that protect people from exploitation, provide essential protections like health insurance, paid sick leave and paid family leave. Such a safety net would allow families real choices and grant people dignity throughout their life spans.

She makes the case for a union of care, similar to other labor unions, that bridges the gap between disparate care industries as well as the gap between paid and unpaid care workers and the gap between people who give and receive care. A unifier, where so much division exists.

Which brings us, believe it or not, back to Butker’s commencement address.

“I have seen it firsthand how much happier someone can be when they disregard the outside noise and move closer and closer to God’s will in their life,” he told the graduates, invoking his wife as an example. “Isabelle’s dream of having a career might not have come true, but if you asked her today if she has any regrets on her decision, she would laugh out loud, without hesitation, and say, ‘Heck, no.’”

I’m sure that’s true. If you asked me today if I regret any of the time or energy I’ve devoted to my children I would also say, “Heck, no.”

But that’s not for everyone. And it’s also not a system — certainly not an equitable or sustainable one. (A spouse with an NFL salary, for example, makes forgoing a career that provides a paycheck, insurance and retirement benefits possible in a way that few women will experience.)

And that, believe it or not, brings us back to Steinem’s memoir.

Kennedy, Steinem wrote, was used to skeptics — including women — who didn’t see the point of all her women’s lib talk. Women have it fine, they’d tell her. I have it fine, they’d tell her. And Kennedy would tell them this, Steinem wrote.

“Just because you’re not feeling sick doesn’t mean you should close the hospitals.”

Join the Heidi Stevens Balancing Act Facebook group, where she continues the conversation around her columns and hosts occasional live chats.

Twitter @heidistevens13

Now the 36-year-old has reached a pinnacle in a different sport.

The United States announced Wednesday that Budinger clinched the final spot on the Olympic beach volleyball team that will compete at the Paris Games this summer. Budinger and playing partner Miles Evans beat out Theo Brunner and Trevor Crabb with a late surge in qualifying.

Heading into qualifications, Budinger and Evans ranked fourth in the country but pushed up to earn the country’s second spot. They are ranked No. 13 in the world.

Budinger was a standout volleyball player in high school before focusing on basketball, earning Volleyball Magazine National Player of the Year honors in indoor volleyball.

After playing in the NBA from 2009-17 and one year internationally in Spain, Budinger began making the transition to beach volleyball in 2018.

He will become the first person to play in an NBA regular-season game and an Olympic beach volleyball match. Keith Erickson was an Olympian in indoor volleyball in 1964 before playing 12 seasons in the NBA.

©2024 Advance Local Media LLC. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

This can happen for several reasons – maybe the hotel overbooked, some guests stayed longer than expected, or somebody bought out the whole hotel for an event. Something has to give: A hotel can’t quickly build another room for you to occupy, and it can’t throw a current guest out. The “why” doesn’t matter; the hotel is simply unable to honor a reservation. What you need to know is how the hotel plans to fix the problem and what rights you have if it doesn’t find an acceptable fix.

As far as I can tell, at least in most of the country, you have no specific right, as you do with an overbooked airline flight. Normal industry practice is to try to fix the problem:

• If a hotel has rooms but in a different price or location category than specified in your reservation, normal practice is to upgrade you to a bigger/better room, where available or to book you in a lesser room for one night and adjust the price.
• If a hotel is totally full, normal practice is to “walk” you to another hotel of “equal or better” quality and pick up the cost of your first night there plus the cost of getting you there.

What to do? As with most such situations, if the hotel offers you an acceptable fix, take it if it’s at all reasonable. If the offer isn’t great, ask for some extra compensation. Even when a proposed fix is a disappointment, shrug it off, just say “kismet,” and go to dinner or bed rather than hassle into the wee hours.

If the offered fix is unacceptable, or there is no fix, your options are meager. You can’t even demand to be walked. Some folks – even supposedly experts – seem to believe that walking is an enforceable legal requirement. But I’ve never been able to locate any such specific laws or regulations, nor have I seen any hotel contracts that require it: Walking is just industry practice, honored sometimes but not always. And even when offered, “walking,” may not, in the words of tort law, “make you whole.” Every time I’ve been walked the substitute hotel was neither “equal” nor “better” than the original. And I’ve heard from readers of cases where a downtown hotel offered a substitute room in a remote suburban location.

Yes, your reservation is a contract, which the hotel is unable to fill. You could sue for damages, in small claims or regular court. But a lawsuit next month doesn’t solve the problem of a room tonight. My suggestions:

• Don’t accept a really inadequate fix. If the first offer is unacceptable, start by negotiating for something better. If the clerk or agent says, “take it or leave it,” ask for a manager.
• If you can, get on your phone, find your own alternative, then ask the hotel to arrange it.
• In the worst case, pay for your own alternative, figuring on filing a formal complaint – and maybe a small claims court suit – after you get home.

Car rental companies, too, often can’t honor a reservation. And, again, there is no legal recourse. Industry practice is supposedly (1) to upgrade you to a more expensive category of car, although you might not appreciate getting a gas guzzler instead of the economy model you want – or (2) to arrange a rental from another company and pay any rate difference. But in my experiences, rental companies often try to stall and ask you to wait around the office for a “short time” until customers return cars

With both hotels and car rentals, you’re fundamentally in the right, in contract law, and should prevail in a formal legal action. But you also need a room or car now, not a verdict in six months. You have to set the balance.

(Send e-mail to Ed Perkins at eperkins@mind.net. Also, check out Ed’s new rail travel website at www.rail-guru.com.)

©2024 Ed Perkins. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

L.R., Virginia Beach, Virginia

A: Most engine wear occurs in the first few minutes after cold soak (cold engine) starts. The engine is happier after reaching normal operating temperature and being driven at highway speeds. If this sounds like your behavior, you’re good.

Q: Sir, what matters more in oil change frequency, time or mileage? Our 2007 Toyota Avalon, with full synthetic oil, goes way past time before it ever gets to mileage since we are both retired and also have another vehicle. Thanks for lubricating us with your vast automotive knowledge!

R.R., Pittsboro, North Carolina

A: Most carmakers require owners to change their oil annually, even if the mileage requirement isn’t met. For cars still under warranty, this is a must to maintain the warranty. Oil degrades over time. Moisture (water) is a major culprit and may not get cooked off during lots of short trips. One more bit of advice: Don’t get lubricated before getting behind the wheel.

Q: I drive a 2016 RAV4. Sunlight from side windows causes a glare on the computer screen making it impossible to use at times. Is there anything that can be done to reduce or eliminate it? Any suggestion would be appreciated.

R.C., Glastonbury, Connecticut

A: You can buy anti-glare film and trim it to fit. Some products also have an anti-fingerprint feature. I found the EZ-Pro three-pack product on Amazon for under $15. It can be trimmed with an X-Acto knife or razor blade. Check Walmart and Best Buy, too.

Q: My wife and I have a lot of CDs we like to listen to when driving. I have a 2015 Subaru Forester with CD player, which no longer works, but I can plug in my Sony Walkman using an AUX/line-in cord. She had a 2011 Honda CR-V with CD player, which she recently got rid of for a 2023 Honda HR-V, which does NOT have a CD player, but does have a USB 2.0 and a USB-C port (for phones, iPods, etc.). If there is an AUX/line-in port I cannot find it (600+ page manual does not mention it). I figured buying a male 3.5 mm jack (for CD player) to USB cable would do the trick, but no luck. The car recognizes that something is attached, but no sound comes out. Did I get the wrong cable? Is it possible to connect a CD player to this car’s sound system?

D.J., Allentown, Pennsylvania

A: My Walkman ran away a few years ago. I considered posting “lost dog” type signs around town but figured it would cost more to print them up than to buy a new portable CD player with Bluetooth functionality. Mine even has anti-skip, which is handy on gravel roads. I can play my Pink Floyd collection through a Bluetooth speak wherever I go. That includes the pickup truck. Many cars have Bluetooth compatibility. I suggest you consult an expert in the electronics department of your favorite store.

©2024 Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

The decision could influence some voters in a close presidential race in key swing states like Pennsylvania with six months until the election.

Jury deliberations likely to start on Wednesday in former President Donald Trump’s hush money trial.

Key witness lied on stand, Trump lawyer tells jurors during closing arguments in hush money trial

Prosecutors have alleged that the presumptive Republican presidential nominee engaged in a strategy to acquire and suppress unfavorable news stories, to impact the outcome of the 2016 presidential election. Trump has pleaded not guilty to falsifying business records to cover up the purported scheme. It’s the first of Trump’s four criminal cases to go to trial, and likely the only one to be tried before the Nov. 5 election.

As the campaign barrels toward November, the hush money trial has done little to shift a tight race. That’s partly because polling shows few voters are paying attention to it.

In a recent YouGov/Yahoo News poll, just 16% of respondents said they’d been following the trial “very closely,” with one-third saying they were taking a mild interest in proceedings. More Americans said the trial made them feel “bored” or “angry” than interested.

That’s somewhat surprising given the salacious subject matter — a former adult film star detailing an alleged sexual encounter with a presidential candidate. But Trump has a long history of outrageous behavior, and if the facts of the case have not motivated voters en masse, a legal outcome of them might not either.

“I think even his most ardent supporters, given who he is, can believe everything they said he did,” GOP consultant Chris Nicholas said. “Whether it ends up being found to be felonious criminally is another story.”

Here’s what we’re watching for in the three scenarios that could play out.

If Donald Trump is found guilty

If the jury finds Trump guilty, he would be eligible for a prison sentence, an unprecedented scenario that the Secret Service is already taking preemptive steps to prepare for.

Each of the 34 felony falsification of business records charges that Trump is facing carries a sentence of up to four years in prison and a $5,000 fine. If Trump is found guilty, Judge Juan Merchan would have a lot of leeway. He could sentence Trump to probation, house arrest, or prison.

Given Trump, 77, has no prior criminal record, many legal experts say it’s unlikely the judge would impose a prison sentence. Trump would also likely appeal a guilty verdict, and any jail time would be stayed as the appeal continues through the court system, a process that could take months, if not years.

Still, the case against Trump for Democrats and Biden becomes easier to make with a guilty verdict. The Biden campaign is preparing to start referring to Trump as “convicted felon Donald Trump,” should he be found guilty.

And polling has indicated a guilty verdict could erode some support.

A March Politico and Ipsos survey found that a conviction could cost Trump more than one-third of independents. A February NBC News poll showed that a conviction in the New York trial could trigger a big swing from 18- to 34-year-old voters from Trump to Biden. And an ABC News/Ipsos survey from late April found that 20% of Trump supporters polled would “either reconsider their support (16%) or withdraw it (4%)” if he’s convicted.

There’s little sign that avid supporters have abandoned Trump over his legal troubles in states like Pennsylvania, but even smaller shifts could matter in a tight race.

Trump, meanwhile, will likely continue to run — and fundraise — off of the trial, no matter the outcome. He’s turned the indictments into unifying rallying calls to his supporters.

“Every time the radical left Democrats, Marxists, communists, and fascists indict me, I consider it a great badge of honor,” Trump said in his recent rally in Wildwood. “I am being indicted for you and never forget our enemies want to take my freedom because I will never let them take away your freedom. They want to silence me because I will never let them silence you.”

If Donald Trump is acquitted

As he did in Wildwood, Trump, for months, has categorized the case against him as a politically motivated prosecution. An acquittal would represent validation for Trump, his supporters, and his lineup of potential running mates, many of whom have packed the courtroom.

While he faces three other criminal trials, it’s unlikely any of those cases will conclude ahead of the general election, meaning an acquittal frees Trump from the possibility of running as a convicted candidate — or a candidate in jail.

That could help him among undecided voters with whom the outcome of the cases carries some weight.

Trump leads Biden in national polls and most swing states but in Pennsylvania his lead is narrow. His challenge has always been how to expand his base beyond a dedicated core. Running on an acquittal helps him make the case to moderates and independent voters.

It puts Biden’s Democratic surrogates in a more difficult position having spent months defending the trial against Trump.

And while an acquittal wouldn’t directly impact the other pending cases in Florida, Georgia, and Washington, it could shape public perception and influence potential juries in those states.

If the jury hangs

If the jury cannot reach a verdict, the judge will likely declare a mistrial. The Manhattan district attorney can then choose to retry the case with a new jury. But the runway to the election is shortening, making a retrial before November unlikely.

Trump would likely cast a mistrial as a win.

Whatever the outcome, how both candidates respond could carry almost as much weight as the decision. Biden has avoided commenting on the legal cases, but his campaign indicated he’ll make a statement on the verdict.

And Trump will be even more free to speak out with the trial behind him.

“The wild card, of course, is how does he respond?” Nicholas, the GOP consultant, said. “Once the verdict is in, he doesn’t have the gag order anymore, so he’s off to the races in terms of what he says.”

©2024 The Philadelphia Inquirer, LLC. Visit at inquirer.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Those Cruise-inspired Easter eggs are laid not necessarily for kids, but the adults who have accompanied them to the theater, such as when the score references “Mission: Impossible” while an ox named Otto, voiced by Ving Rhames (who plays Cruise’s techie Luther in the action franchise), lays out the plan for a heist. Later, a triumphant climax featuring airborne food delivery drones offers the chance for a bit of the “Top Gun” theme while Garfield (Chris Pratt) brags that he does his own stunts, “just like Tom Cruise.”

The line is a bit of overemphasis that this is the big, thrilling version of Garfield, not a “Jeanne Dielman”-style study of domestic life. In fact, after a quick framing device that shows us Garfield’s heartstring-tugging history as a starving stray kitten who encounters Jon at an Italian restaurant, the film speeds through a quick montage of our favorite Garfield tropes: he loves lasagna, hates Mondays, torments Jon and manipulates Odie.

We know him, we love him — Garfield’s unique characteristics have been printed on coffee mugs for years — and once that’s out of the way, onto the high-stakes and highly contrived plot. Garfield and Odie are kidnapped by a couple of thuggish pups, Nolan (Bowen Yang) and Roland (Brett Goldstein), who are working for a Persian cat named Jinx (Hannah Waddingham). She wants them to collaborate with Garfield’s deadbeat dad Vic (Samuel L. Jackson) on a milk heist as revenge for the time she did in the pound after a scheme she and Vic pulled.

The heist plot allows for the action, adventure and suspense to come into play, as well as the aforementioned Tom Cruise references, and nods to film noir and early silent films (there are a lot of sequences set on trains). There’s even a “Rashomon”-like flashback as we see Garfield’s childhood abandonment from Vic’s perspective, changing the way we understand how Garfield found himself alone in that alley that night. The heist may make up the majority of the story, but it’s merely a means by which an estranged father and son can escape the emotional prison of masculinity and express their feelings to each other.

“The Garfield Movie,” directed by Mark Dindal and written by Paul A. Kaplan, Mark Torgove and David Reynolds, may sport a deep knowledge of film history that can delight cinephile parents, but it is still a kiddie movie and comes with the same zany, harried energy one might expect from such a project. The aesthetic hews more closely to the look of the comic strip than the CGI-animation/live-action abomination of the two Garfield movies of the early aughts, which is on trend with other animated films that embrace an illustrated style, though this is less edgy than some of the other examples (the “Spider-Verse” movies, “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem”).

Bill Murray voiced the rusty, rotund feline in “Garfield: The Movie” (2004) and “Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties” (2006) in his dry, laconic manner, and Pratt does a fine job taking over vocal duties. Harvey Guillén offers his voice for Odie’s noises, and the rest of the voice cast (Nicholas Hoult as Jon, Cecily Strong as a Midwestern security guard named Marge) round out the world.

Though the film is formulaic and somewhat annoyingly energetic, it’s cute and irreverent enough, and manages to bridge the generation gap, offering up a kid-friendly flick that can keep adults somewhat entertained for the duration, proving that even after all these years, Garfield’s still got it.

“The Garfield Movie” — 2.5 stars (out of 4)

MPA rating: PG (for action/peril and mild thematic elements)

Running time: 1:41

Where to watch: In theaters May 24

His death was announced by his sister, Sarah McCardie, Tuesday in an X post: “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Brian James McCardie (59), beloved son, brother, uncle and dear friend to so many. Brian passed away suddenly at home on Sunday 28th April. A wonderful and passionate actor on stage and screen, Brian loved his work and touched many lives, and is gone much too soon.”

She added, “We love him and will miss him greatly; please remember Brian in your thoughts. Funeral arrangements will be announced in the days ahead. As a family, we would ask for privacy at this time.”

United Agents, which represented McCardie during his career, also confirmed the news of his passing on social media, calling him “an actor of such great talent.”

So far, no details have been shared about the actor’s cause of death.

Born near Glasgow in 1965, McCardie first began acting professionally at the age of 24, landing a part on the British TV show “EastEnders.” He would go on to amass over 82 film and TV credits in his career.

He later earned praise for his role as Tommy Hunter in the police procedural “Line of Duty” from 2012 to 2014. He became known to U.S. audiences through his appearances on “Shameless” and “Outlander,” and had a part in the upcoming Outlander prequel, “Blood of My Blood.”

In the film “Rob Roy,” McCardie played the son of Liam Neeson’s titular character. His other film roles include “Doors Open,” “200 Cigarettes,” “Kiss of Death” and “Low Winter Sun.”

The BBC released a statement following his death, referring to him as “an incredibly talented actor,” and “warm, funny and charming. Our thoughts are with his loved ones at this difficult time,” the company added.

How excited are they? Based on draft-night jersey sales data, possibly more excited than any fan base of any sports team has ever been about any draft pick.

The Bears selected Williams with the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft Thursday in Detroit. By the end of the night, Williams’ jersey had broken the Fanatics record for draft-night sales for any draft pick in any sport.

The previous record was set last week by basketball phenom Caitlin Clark, the former Iowa superstar who was chosen by the Indiana Fever with the top pick in the WNBA draft. She will wear No. 22.

Before Clark, Trevor Lawrence had the most draft-night jersey sales in Fanatics history after he was selected No. 1 by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2021.

The news was first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter and confirmed to the Los Angeles Times by Fanatics, the official online sportswear retailer for most U.S. sports leagues, including the NFL, NBA, WNBA, MLB and NHL.

The Fanatics site has five variations of Williams’ jersey available for pre-order, with a note saying the items will be shipped “4-6 weeks after the player’s number is officially confirmed.” In Williams’ case, the Bears have already done that — he will be wearing No. 18, the same number he wore at Gonzaga College High School in Washington, D.C.

Williams wore No. 13 in college, both during his freshman season at Oklahoma and his two years with the Trojans. That number, however, is also worn by Keenan Allen, the veteran receiver the Bears acquired from the Los Angeles Chargers during the offseason.

The Bears are looking for their first winning season since 2018 and their first playoff win since 2010. Williams is the third quarterback they’ve drafted in the first round in the last eight years, following Mitch Trubisky at No. 2 in 2017 and Justin Fields at No. 11 in 2021.

Photos: Inside the Chicago Bears’ NFL draft party at Soldier Field

©2024 Los Angeles Times. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Justin Pippen, a 6-foot-3 guard out of Sierra Canyon in Chatsworth, Calif., pledged to the Wolverines on Friday, becoming the second member of Michigan’s 2024 recruiting class.

He is the youngest son of Scottie Pippen, a Hall of Famer who helped the Chicago Bulls win six championships during a 17-year NBA career that included stops in Portland and Houston. Justin is also the younger brother of Scotty Pippen Jr., a second-year guard with the Memphis Grizzlies.

Pippen made his college decision after visiting Ann Arbor last weekend and quickly developing a relationship with Michigan’s staff. His other finalists were Cal, Florida, Stanford and Texas A&M.

“I loved it,” Pippen said on the 247Sports’ YouTube channel of his visit. “The coaches were great to me. They showed me a lot of hospitality. They gave me really good pitches. They see me coming in as a player that can impact the floor right away. I’m excited to get to work.”

Much like his father and brother, Justin Pippen was a late bloomer who emerged late in high school. He went from being an unranked prospect to one of the fastest-rising recruits in the nation during a breakout senior season.

“They both told me to keep working, keep my head down, focus on the main thing and eventually it’ll all pay off,” said Pippen, who credited weightlifting and becoming more mature on the court for the leap in his game.

Pippen is rated a four-star prospect and a top-110 recruit in the 247Sports composite rankings. 247Sports, though, has him ranked as the No. 62 overall recruit and No. 9 combo guard in the nation.

Pippen joins Michigan’s Mr. Basketball Durral Brooks in the Wolverines’ incoming class, which took a hit over the last month. Two 2024 prospects — four-star point guard Christian Anderson Jr. and four-star wing Khani Rooths — decommitted from Michigan and reopened their recruitments after the firing of Juwan Howard and hiring of May.

Scottie Pippen through the years

But less than four weeks into his tenure, May made his first roster addition and sealed the deal with Pippen.

“I like to get my teammates involved. I’m a playmaker,” Pippen said. “I shoot the ball really well. I’m definitely a two-way player and I take pride on the defensive end.

“I’m a winner … and I’m going to push my teammates to be the best that they can be.”

©2024 The Detroit News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

A French 75 is great classic cocktail to celebrate milestones or special events with (it just might be the ultimate Valentine’s Day libation!), but it’s also a great excuse to break open a bottle of Champagne any day you feel like popping a cork. (And if you need help choosing the right bottle, we’ve got you covered in our Champagne 101 guide.)

What is a French 75?

A French 75 is a classic bubbly cocktail that contains gin, lemon juice, sugar, and Champagne. It was created at Harry’s Bar in Paris during World War 1, and the 75 in the name is said to refer to the 75-millimeter field guns used in the war. There has been some debate that the French 75 was originally made with cognac rather than gin, but it is now known as a gin-based cocktail.

Key ingredients in a French 75

Lemon. You’ll need a whole lemon for its zest and juice. For a slightly more floral French 75, use a Meyer lemon instead.

Gin. Any kind of gin will work here; choose your favorite or go with London dry for a more herbaceous flavor. I like the citrus and juniper notes of Gray Whale gin with the Champagne and lemon in this drink.

Simple syrup. Stick to a simple syrup that’s equal parts water and sugar.

Sparkling wine. Use a dry sparkling wine, such as brut Champagne, to balance out the sweetness in the simple syrup. Make sure it’s chilled, as it’s poured straight into the glass after the base of the cocktail is shaken and strained.

French 75 Cocktail

Makes 1 drink

1 medium lemon

1 1/2 ounces gin

3/4 ounces simple syrup

Ice

2 ounces chilled dry sparkling wine, such as brut Champagne

1. Using a channel knife or vegetable peeler, peel a long strip of peel from 1 medium lemon. Juice the lemon until you have 3/4 ounce.

2. Place the lemon juice, 1 1/2 ounces gin, and 3/4 ounce simple syrup in a cocktail shaker. Fill the shaker halfway with ice, seal, and shake until the outside of the shaker is very frosty, about 20 seconds.

3. Pour through a strainer into a Champagne flute. Slowly pour in 2 ounces chilled dry sparkling wine. Hold the lemon peel over the cocktail and twist the peel to express the oils onto the surface of the drink. Run the outside of the peel over the rim of the flute, then drop the peel into the cocktail.

Recipe note: If you plan on making multiple French 75s, I recommend zesting and juicing all the lemons first. You can double everything to make two drinks at a time in the shaker, but I wouldn’t do more than two to make sure the cocktails get chilled and diluted properly with the ice.

(Christine Gallary is food editor-at-large for TheKitchn.com, a nationally known blog for people who love food and home cooking. Submit any comments or questions to editorial@thekitchn.com.)