Way back in 1933 the USA was gripped with an economic depression and to make matters worse, a prohibition on alcohol. The Eighteenth Amendment, “Prohibition,” set the act of getting a decent cocktail back years. Unless of course you were rich, then one could still get the good stuff (with a doctor’s note). The great bartenders all fled to Europe or Latin America as they were now outlaws at home. Drinkers were forced to go … Read more
Today June 12th, marks the anniversary of a tragedy committed over 250 years ago.
In 1744, the Portuguese Crown declared that the production, distribution, and sale of cachaça, Brazil’s noble spirit, would be illegal in the Portuguese Colony of Brazil. Fortunately for us all, the Brazilians rebelled and the virtues of cachaça won.
Still over 250 years later, cachaça, is still being tortured. Why, in many countries, including here in the United States, cachaça is … Read more
Cachaça is one of the hottest spirits this Summer thanks to the growing popularity of the caipirinha. Mixologists everywhere are quickly becoming fans of the spirit and taking cocktails way beyond the caipirinha and into unexplored and delicious territory.
This week’s drink is no exception. The “summer of cachaça” kicks off today, June 12th,
InternationalCachaça Day. The holiday was started by Sociedade Brasileira da cachaça, a Brasilian government organization. It was created to commemorate … Read more
Cinco de Mayo commemorates the 1862 Battle of Puebla where Mexico defeated French troops that outnumbered them almost two-to-one after only two hours of fighting! The holiday has been celebrated in California since 1863, as a symbol of solidarity in response to the French occupation of Mexico from 1863-1867.
Cinco de Mayo is the largest tequila consumption day in the U.S. In fact, Americans can’t get enough of Mexico’s native spirit. Since 2002, U.S. imports … Read more
Mardi Gras, French for Fat Tuesday, is the day before Ash Wednesday but can fall anywhere from February 3 to March 9. The floating date is always 47 days before Easter. This Mardi Gras we keep the Hurricanes flowing and forget the economy if only until Wednesday. Learn more about Mardi Gras.
SoCo & Lime Hurricane Ingredients3 oz Southern Comfort
1.5 oz sweet and sour mix
½ oz blue curacao
½ oz sweetened lime … Read more
More fun facts and Margarita recipes for National Margarita Day.
The original Margarita was invented in 1948 by socialite Margarita Sames. According to the legend, it was during a party at her cliff side hacienda in Acapulco that Margarita began experimenting with “the drink.” Looking for something to cut the dust of a hot afternoon, she mixed Tequila Herradura, Cointreau and fresh lime juice. Her cocktail kept the party going for two weeks and today … Read more
Mardi Gras is upon us and Fat Tuesday is around the corner. So why feature the classic New Orleans Cocktail. No, I’m not talking about a Hurricane, I am talking about the Sazerac one of the very first cocktail recipes in history. It was created in the 1830’s by Pharmacist Antoine Amedie Peychaud, as a way to deliver a dose of his “health” elixir, Peychaud’s Bitters. These bitters are still used today.
This classic cocktail … Read more
This punch recipe is inspired by the Orange Punch served at Andrew Jackson’s inauguration in 1829, according to Eric Felten of the Wall Street Journal.
It was quite a rowdy crowd, and servers brought out buckets of the punch to lure the revelers out of the White House and on to the lawn.
Serve this to your own Inauguration Day party crowd on Jan. 20.
Inaugural Orange Punch
3 parts fresh orange juice
1 part … Read more
James Bond, the epitome of style and sophistication, always insists his martinis should be “shaken, not stirred.” However, that preference may well be a sign of his rebellious nature more than his command of the cocktail. Traditionally, martinis are stirred … and for good reason.
Many experts dismiss the idea that shaking “bruises the gin.” But they do note that while shaking makes for a colder martini, it also dilutes the martini and gives it … Read more
Beam just introduced (ri)1 in the midst of rye whiskey’s comeback from more than 70 years in the shadows.
In the 19th and early 20th century, rye was the go-to liquor. Many traditional cocktails–like the Manhattan and the Old Fashioned–originated as rye cocktails.
But after Prohibition ended in 1933, American distillers turned all their attention to bourbon.
No one knows for sure why, but it could be because corn was cheaper than rye. It … Read more