According to my 1958 Professional Mixing Guide by Angostura, a Whiskey Cocktail is made by adding 2 dashes of Angostura bitters to 1.5 oz of whiskey in an "over-size whiskey glass," stirred well with ice before serving. Croswell's day, it was common to refer to cocktails by the type of spirits used, such as the "Gin Cocktail" or the "Brandy Cocktail" the Old Fashioned has a similar early genesis in the Whiskey Cocktail. Croswell's definition also perfectly embodies what an "Old Fashioned" is. A spirit as the base, sugar to balance the heat of the liquor and buoy the overall flavor, bitters to engage more of our palate and provide complexity, and finally water - in the form of ice - to chill and gently dilute. Croswell was no mixologist, but his definition speaks to the intrinsic simplicity of what a cocktail truly is. Harry Croswell, responded to his inquisitive reader with the definition that cocktail historians and bartenders alike cite as the first true definition of our beloved concoctions: "Cock tail, then is a stimulating liquor composed of spirits of any kind, sugar, water, and bitters." This report included the word and, confused by its meaning, a reader wrote to the editor to understand just why he meant by "cock tail." The editor, Mr. ![]() ![]() However, the truly formative use of "cock tail" comes on the heels of a report in The Balance, and Columbian Repository newspaper on the results of a political election. The word "cocktail" (or "cock tail") was used a handful of times in print pre-1806 and presumably also in general parlance.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |