If you do a google search on the word cocktail, you’ll find a definitive answer to where the name originated: London, New York, New Orleans, Mexico. No one can agree! Rather than debate history, why not enjoy some of the popular cocktails from the past?
If New Orleans was where the original cocktail got its name, then celebrate with a Sazerac. You’ll need some skill because it requires two glasses to mix the absinthe, rye whiskey, bitters, and tart lemon peel. The Manhattan arrived on the scene in the late 1800s, named after its famous New York borough. The bourbon, sweet vermouth, and angostura bitters blend with a smooth punch. One has to travel back to 1876 for the first Tom Collins that blended gin with fresh orange, lemon, lime juices, simple syrup, and club soda.
A favorite of the World War I era is the bright and refreshing Dark and Stormy. Although today’s ginger beer is non-alcoholic, the combination of traditional ginger beer, dark rum, and lime juice certainly wasn’t. By the end of World War I, the partiers paired the Sidecar with oysters Rockefeller. Bourbon, triple sec, and lemon juice combined for a delicious concoction.
Read HERE for links to recipes for 15 vintage drinks like the Mint Julip. You may want to start a mixed drink club for seniors!