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 […]
Tag: history
Bumboo
It’s that time of year when we are assaulted with a new blockbuster movie every weekend until the end of the summer. Many of the movies will be a waste of time because they lack character development or the story is covered up by special effects. But, there is one decent movie coming out, with a really well-developed character, and […]
Triple Sec Liqueur
One of the most underrated liqueurs on the market, but it used in some of the best cocktails ever made.
Filby Cocktail
I’m not sure who decides these things, but today (June 11th) is World Gin Day. So what does one do on a day that celebrates gin? I’d hazard a guess that we’d enjoy a gin cocktail. The obvious choices are the Negroni or Martini, but may I suggest The Filby? Yes, I’ve written about this cocktail before, but that was […]
Beverages De Luxe (1914)
Just prior to prohibition, a great little booklet was put out by The Wine and Spirit Bulletin called Beverages De Luxe. It is a collection of articles, and recipes, written by owners of distilleries and others in the business. Some of the contributors include George Brown (Brown and Foreman) and A.M. Hanauer (Hamburger Distillery, Pittsburgh, PA) among many others. Hanauer […]
Ammonia Coke
Adding things to Coca-Cola is a time honoured tradition, one that immediately comes to mind is rum. Another is Aromatic Spirits of Ammonia. Now, this isn’t kitchen cleaner ammonia, which would be a big mistake, this is a pharmaceutical preparation that has been used for over a century, even before Coke was invented. For druggists, this preparation was an over-the-counter […]
Soda’s Influence on Cocktails of the Big Easy
On April 5th, 2010 I will be flying down to New Orleans to present at the Museum of the American Cocktail. The presentation will be on the influence of soda on cocktails, specifically those of New Orleans fame. Many newspaper articles from the 1800s put New Orleans in second place for soda consumption after Atlanta which shouldn’t come as a […]
Wet Grave
An opportunity to present drink history to the bar community in New Orleans always inspires my creativity. With so many great bartenders and mixologists churning out great cocktails, my efforts are less public than they once were. I’ve eschewed the shotgun approach for the more refined sniper tactics. The Wet Grave is one of those bullseye cocktails that combines everything […]
Monkey Gland
Oh yay, another post on the Monkey Gland is what a lot of people might be saying. Sure, it’s been a topic of interest among bloggers and the Cocktail Brain Trust™ for the past few years. Most reviews are glowing, kind of like Canadians over President Obama (circa 2009). Personally, I suspect a lot of people like the cocktail because […]
Old Unopened Bottles of Whiskey
Ever wonder what the value of that old bottle of whisky you have in the basement is worth? Probably not as much as you hoped, but sometimes they are worth more than you imagined.
Moral Suasion
There are many great cocktails littered throughout history, like the Manhattan and the Daiquiri, but some of the greats are forgotten and should be remembered. The Moral Suasion is one of them.
Egg Creams
The New York egg cream started its life at the soda fountain in the 1870s and contained both egg and cream, which is much different than today.