The Blood and Sand is named after the 1922 Rudolph Valentino film Blood and Sand, which chronicles the demise of a reckless, sadomasochistic bull fighter in love with a girl called Carmen (hence blood on the sand etc.). The cocktail first appears in the 1930 Savoy Cocktail Book, compiled by Harry Craddock. The phrase “Blood and sand” is a favourite of my father, Cliff, who uses it as a low-calorie…
