The history of cocktails would be quiet boring with out the accompanying saloons. This one, from Toronto, is interesting because it had an expansive cocktail list back in 1855.
Recent Posts
Cream of Coconut Recipe
Have you ever wondered how they make that delicious creme of coconut used in a Pina Colada? Here is the reverse-engineered recipe.
Pina Colada Recipe
Possibly the most recognizable Caribbean cocktail, and for good reason, the Pina Colada combines rum, coconut and pineapple—what’s not to like?
Lemon Phosphate Soda
When flavoured soda water became a thing, lemon was the preferred choice. In fact, it was the most popular flavour for 30 years. Modern variations of this classic flavour include Sprite and 7-Up.
Vodka Pays the Bills
Simple vodka cocktails are an easy way to get people to try new things. Not everyone likes brown, bitter, stirred so the trick is to use something they are familiar with.
French Martini
When Chambord decided to do a promotion to help sell their liqueur, the French Martini recipe was born, and it is one of the few corporate creations that has developed a loyal following.
Beverage Business (1886)
These old newspaper articles about soda fountain provide a glimpse into the period and city they were written. This article comes from the Rocky Mountain News in Denver circa 1886. Reporters would just report on the happening of the local soda fountain and the new drinks being served. Cocaine, again, makes an entrance to a new city via the soda fountain, […]
Talk with the Soda Men of Atlanta (1885)
This is a great article from the June 7th, 1885 Atlanta Constitution detailed the state of affairs at the local soda fountains. The reporter interviews a local soda proprietor and gets all the goods. One of the great things about this article is that it mentions Coca-Cola for the first time, though the reporter spells it “coco cola”. If you […]
Summer Beverages for the Thirsty of Gotham (1884)
Before I began my long hiatus on Art of Drink, I had accumulated hundreds of old newspaper articles about drink and cocktails in the 1800s. My intentions were to write about and share/transcribe them, but cocktail blogging kind of died with Facebook taking over, and I never wanted to post stuff to Facebook, because that would be like working for […]
Horsford Acid Phosphate
The most popular drink in the world was once made using Acid Phosphate. Today, Coca-Cola no longer uses this unique ingredient, instead, they have simplified their formulation by using phosphoric acid, which still makes it a phosphated soda, but not the classic version. The “phosphate drink” was the most popular drink at soda fountains for over 70 years, but once […]
Grenadine Syrup
In the never-ending quest to discover what makes a great cocktail, I’ve embarked upon a study of grenadine. Sure it may seem like a trivial subject, but I’ve learned that it’s the small things that are often overlooked and led to the downward trend in quality. When we understand the simple things, it allows us to create more complex creations. […]
Margarita Cocktail Recipe
This cocktail has similarities to a number of drinks, but it is the refreshing lime, combined with salt, that makes this cocktail an all-time classic.
ACID PHOSPHATE
Jack and Coke Recipe
Learning from the century-old Rum & Coke recipe, making the best Jack & Coke is easy if you follow a few simple steps.
Salty Dog Cocktail
Grapefruit juice is a relatively common ingredient in cocktails, with the perennial favourite being the Greyhound, but the Paloma is better. Unlike a Screwdriver, the Greyhound isn’t nearly as sweet and even has a pleasant bitterness that is imparted by the grapefruit juice. There are people who do not enjoy the bitterness of grapefruit juice, so those people tend to […]
