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 There is a thin line between fact and fiction, a line often obscured with the passage of time. Such is the case surrounding the origin of the Margarita, which occurred somewhere during a fifteen year span between the mid-1930s and the late ‘40s. Some versions claim the place of origin as the United States, others Mexico. Weeding through the conflicting accounts made for some interesting detective work. It’s a good story. The year was 1948 and times in the U.S. were good. The war had ended three years before and the country was experiencing a prolonged period of prosperity. For the rich and famous, Acapulco was an irresistible playground. San Antonio native Margarita Sames and her husband Bill owned a villa near the Flamingo Hotel in Acapulco, Mexico. The couple lived in Acapulco for part of the year along with a close circle of friends that consisted of Fred MacMurray, Lana Turner, Nicky Hilton, next door neighbor John Wayne, Joe Drown, owner of the Hotel Bel-Air, and restaurateur Shelton McHenrie, owner of the Tail o’ the Cock restaurant in Los Angeles . . . Click Here for Chapter Two: A Grassroots Phenomenon- The Margarita
These are heady times for cocktails in general and Martinis specifically. The American born libation is once again the undisputed king of cocktails, atop the list of drinks that every bar and aspiring mixologist must excel at making. A trademark Martini doesn’t have to be elaborate, just well conceived and skillfully executed. Although its exact origin is still a matter of conjecture, most drink historians believe that the Martini is over a century old and its likely creator was the inimitable Professor Jerry Thomas, widely considered the founder of American mixology. In 1887, he was the first to publish a tome on the subject, The Bon Vivant’s Companion or How To Mix Drinks. In his book he includes a recipe for the Martinez Cocktail, a libation made with Old Tom Gin (a sweetened version of gin), vermouth, a few dashes of Maraschino liqueur and bitters. Later reprints of the book refer to this drink as the “Classic Martini.” . . . Click Here to purchase Chapter One: An American Original — The Martini
The year was 1948 and times in the U.S. were good. The war had ended three years before and the country was experiencing a prolonged period of prosperity. For the rich and famous, Acapulco was an irresistible playground. San Antonio native Margarita Sames and her husband Bill owned a villa near the Flamingo Hotel in Acapulco, Mexico. The couple lived in Acapulco for part of the year along with a close circle of friends that consisted of Fred MacMurray, Lana Turner, Nicky Hilton, next door neighbor John Wayne, Joe Drown, owner of the Hotel Bel-Air, and restaurateur Shelton McHenrie, owner of the Tail o’ the Cock restaurant in Los Angeles . . .
Click Here to purchase Chapter Three: Toast of the Town — The Manhattan
The origin of the Gimlet can be traced to Colonial India and the expansion of the British Empires. Sailors in Her Majesty’s Navy needed the ascorbic acid in fruits such as limes to ward off the debilitating effects of scurvy. The L. Rose & Company of Edinburgh, Scotland answered the call. In 1867, Lauchlin Rose developed and patented a process for preserving fresh lime juice without the use of alcohol. That same year, the Merchant Shipping Act was passed requiring all Royal Navy and Merchant vessels to dispense a daily ration of lime juice. It was this law that brought about the name “Limeys” for British sailors, as well as generated widespread acclaim for life sustaining Rose’s Lime Juice . . . Click Here to purchase Chapter Four: A Creative Lineage — Cosmos, Kamis, and Gimlet
Why are rums shooting up the charts? In addition to their “fun in the sun” image, their approachable taste profile means there’s no learning curve necessary to enjoy them. But the shared attribute that puts rum on the map is its mixability. It can be used in the preparation of almost any cocktail. When it comes to drink making, premium rums have a taste and aroma that lifts them head and shoulders above any of the other light liquors. A vodka’s particular characteristics may go unnoticed in a cocktail, conversely, rum is more often than not a primary flavor ingredient. Theories abound about the origin of the word “rum.” One suggests that it is an abbreviation of the Latin words for sugar, saccharrum officinarum. Another theory suggests that the name “rum” originated on the island of Barbados as a derivation of the words “rumbullion or rumbustion,” which were common terms for fighting or causing trouble. On Barbados, rum was also called Kill Devil, likely because as a strong spirit it was used to cure a wide range of afflictions . . . Click Here to purchase Chapter Five: The Appeal of Rum — Subtropical Classics
A tall, strapping young man with engaging looks and cat-like grace, Thomas, it’s said, enthralled all those who visited his bars. His roster of establishments included such prestigious venues as the Metropolitan Hotel in New York, Planter’s House in St. Louis and the El Dorado Resort in San Francisco. He was the master of his craft, part performer, part tactician, and part entrepreneur. Over the span of his career his standard of excellence inspired many to the upper echelons of the profession and gave rise to the title of principal bartender. Thomas will best be remembered, however, as the author of the first authoritative guide on making drinks. First published in the 1860s, The Bon Vivant’s Companion described in detail a rarefied group of 600 cocktails spanning the entire breadth of mixology. More significantly, he used the book to circumscribe the new world of mixology, the substance and intricacies of which had not previously been committed to print . . . Click Here to purchase Chapter Six: 20th Century Mixology — Neo-Classic Cocktails
While still popularly served at brunch, the Bloody Mary has now garnered a broader audience and is often seen at Happy Hours as one of the ideal, pre-dinner cocktails. The drink’s appeal is timeless. Tall, savory and exuberant, the Bloody Mary is a substantial quaff chock full of garden fresh vegetables, herbs and spices. It’s more like a meal with an attitude than a thirst quencher. The Bloody Mary is perhaps the most singular drink in the lexicon of mixology. It’s a drink every bartender makes, and yet no two bartenders make it the same. When made well, the Bloody Mary is an absolute work of art — robust, nutritious and loaded with taste. Credit for inventing the Bloody Mary goes to Fernand Petiot, a bartender at Harry’s New York Bar in Paris in 1924. He dubbed his concoction the “Bucket of Blood.” While the drink caught on, the name didn’t. It soon became known as the Bloody Mary, likely in honor of Mary Tudor, the unfortunate daughter of King Henry VIII . . . Click Here to purchase Chapter Seven: America's Foremost Savory Cocktail — Bloody Marys
Most people who rely on coffee for their morning jolt have no idea that coffee is not a bean, but rather the seed of a fruit that grows on large shrub-type plants that reach heights of 15-30 feet. A coffee plant will yield one to two pounds of green berries each growing season. When ripe, the berries turn a deep crimson and closely resemble a plump cranberry. The secret behind the phenomenal appeal of coffee lies in the roasting process, which burns off certain unwanted acids, while further developing those that provide the finished brew with taste and zestfulness. Roasting also causes beans to become brittle and thus easily ground . . . Champagne has a nearly universal appeal. Perhaps no other product enjoys such a sterling reputation for outstanding quality. It is also the one wine that may be appropriately served any time of day, with any meal and with just about any type of food. It’s unlikely that when Dom Pierre Pérignon discovered the process of making champagne he had any idea his sparkling wine would spawn a fabulous array of sensational cocktails. Champagne-based drinks are synonymous with celebrations and special occasions. So exceptional are these cocktails that they have the capacity of turning any night into something genuinely memorable. The new breed of champagne libations is among the latest trends sweeping the country. These cocktails are light, effervescent and exceptionally delicious. With the advent of the reusable bottle-stopper that keeps champagne carbonated overnight, you can pour champagne by the glass without being concerned that the unused portion will go flat and be wasted . . .
The arrival of “frozen” concoctions revolutionized drink making. Once the only options you had on most cocktails was preparing them straight up or on the rocks. Now blended drinks are more popular than ever. Blended or frozen concoctions are about the most advantageous type of drink. They’re bigger than most drinks, and presented with a high-perceived value. The mechanics of preparing frozen drinks allows you a fuller range of ingredient options. As a result, most are bursting with flavor. The glassware in which they’re served further enhances their great looking appearance. When you consider that they’re usually lower in alcohol than most other types of mixed drinks, you’re left with the unmistakable conclusion that blended drinks make a lot of sense in this day and age . . . Click Here to purchase Chapter Ten: Frozen Drinks are Sizzling Hot — Blended Masterpieces
A marvelous way to cap off a sensational dinner experience is with a sumptuous cocktail. Sipping something marvelous after dinner is like putting an exclamation mark on the evening. Dessert drinks come in many different styles and are drop-dead delicious. What sets them apart from their plate-bound brethren is that these desserts also contain a dram or two of alcohol, which easily makes them the best of both worlds. Like kitchen-originated desserts, the brotherhood of after dinner libations is a highly creative lot. There are primarily two ways to go with these drinks. Some prefer to quaff something neat, warm and soothing. Other tastes run toward the creamy and delicious, something akin to dessert, only better. Fortunately, there are libations ready to satisfy any taste or after-dinner request . . . Click Here to purchase Chapter Eleven: Desserts by the Glassful — After-Dinner Classics Chapter Twelve: Drinks with Timeless Appeal — Modern Classics
Cocktails have enjoyed several golden ages, most having directly followed an American war. Its current renaissance, however, may well go down in the books as the most impressive. The degree of innovation demonstrated behind bars today rivals the creative output of any previous generation. The creative abilities and skills of great contemporary mixologists, the likes of Jacques Bezuidenhout, Adam Seger, Scott Beattie, Jonathan Pogash and Francesco LaFranconi are as divinely inspired as their predecessors. As in ages past, the mantra today when it comes to concocting drinks is “balance, taste and quality.” While arguing the relative balance and taste of contemporary cocktails compared to those of the past ultimately renders down to personal preference, quality is the factor that decidedly favors today’s drinks . . . |
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