Message 23783 of 39188 in General Discussion

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I think that is the biggest heading I could fit in!-)

How exactly do we gauge the impact that Jerry Thomas had on the world of 
Cocktails during his lifetime?

We know what impact Jerry Thomas has on the world of today, as people are 
proudly brandishing his book as the original cocktail book. It should be 
better classified as the first cocktail book that we know of. There may have 
been cocktail books before, as yet unfound. Or as I would like to think Jerry 
Thomas is merely the first person to actually compile a book of cocktail/ 
Mixed Drink recipes and have it published.

Were the recipes that were published by Jerry Thomas his to begin with? Did he 
alter the recipes (a la Simon Difford) to suit his own tastes?

To state that Jerry Thomas' cocktails are the originals is a bit hard to 
believe. 

As the word cocktail was first traced back to: May 1806.

"Cocktail is a stimulating liquor, composed of spirits of any kind, sugar, 
water, and bitters - it is vulgarly called bittered sling and is supposed to 
be an excellent electioneering potion" 

Jerry Thomas' book was published in 1862. 

That means that there were cocktails for 54 years before he published his 
book. How have cocktails presently changed in the last 54 months? let alone in 
the last 54 years?

Jerry Thomas' book is not what I would call a reliable source, its just the 
first source.


<rant mode engaged>

And lets not forget that it is the 200th Anniversary of the Cocktail this 
year. I have to be honest and say that I don't care that it is 200 years old, 
it is just an attempt by Americans to claim all mixed drinks for their own. 
Mixed drinks predate cocktails by at least 100 years. 

Punchs, Slings, Collins, Sours are not legally cocktails, but are now classed 
as cocktails, due to the word cocktail being distorted so it can be used for 
all mixed drinks.

This Sir, is an outrage! I will not stand for it! *sits down*

<rant mode disengaged>


<hearts and minds mode engaged>

The word cocktail is like a cat, it has no home. Just those who love it. sobs

<hearts and minds mode disengaged>


I thank you!


George S.