Party Like It’s 1899
Dec 22nd, 2014 by bachmann
“The tinkle of the ice—the delightful
odor of the lemon peel—the fragrance and
flavor of this ice-cold appetizer, what an
apology it has been for cold soup
and overdone entree !”
The term “cocktail” has origins dating back to the 18th century. However, it was with the 1862 publication of Jerry Thomas’s “How to Mix Drinks; or, The Bon Vivant’s Companion” that the term became commonplace to describe drink recipes where bitters was an essential ingredient. Jerry Thomas became known as the father of American mixology, often referred to as the “Professor” for his creative combinations, and his publication helped sparked the cocktail craze. As the popularity of cocktails increased, so did the proliferation of novel recipes. Not to be left behind, the Ivy Leaguers developed and championed their own unique cocktail drinks. Students in 1898, like those before and those afterwards, exhibited the predilection to impress others by consuming copious amounts of the latest drink fetish. By the end of the century, new recipes were making their way into print and more guides were published annually in attempts to keep up with current recipes and recent twists on presentation. It was toward the end of the 19th century that the maraschino cherry and the olive were introduced as popular garnishes to top off a cocktail. Livermore & Knight began publishing cocktail guides, beginning with this small pocket-sized offering in 1898. This book was not published as a comprehensive guide for bartenders or drinking establishments, but oriented toward those planning and hosting domestic fetes.
A cocktail is an appetizer or stomach
stimulant and differs from other drinks
in that it is supposed to contain Bitters.
It is the purpose of this book to give
the rules for the mixing of simple and well known
cocktails. As to rules for fancy
cocktails there is no end, and the addition
of the various ingredients for sweetening
and blending of fancy cocktails has been
left to the taste of the mixer.
A cocktail should never be bottled and
should always be made at the time of drinking.
A bottled cocktail might be likened unto a
depot sandwich—neither are fit for use
except in case of necessity.
An old-fashioned yet attractive way of
serving a cocktail to ladies is the wiping of
the rim of the cocktail glass with lemon
peel and then dipping the rim in powdered
sugar, which leaves a frosty decoration on
the rim of the glass.
Even the esteemed Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. recognized the value of a good cocktail. In his correspondence with colleague and protégé, Professor John Henry Wigmore, Holmes notes Wigmore’s proficiency as a “maker of first class cocktails”.
- Description:
- Cocktails :how to make them. Providence : Livermore & Knight Co., 1898.
- Persistent Link:
- http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:FHCL:10877320
- Repository:
- Widener Library
- Institution:
- Harvard University
Very good and Yummy…Merry Xmas from Québec city Canada xx.
[…] COOK: The dawn of a new year always makes us want to see what’s cooking in the Y2Kitchen. And while you’re eating like it’s 1999 you can drink like it’s 1899. […]