Message 23786 of 39188 in General Discussion

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

Good effort, it may be the longest title in webtender history!

> 
> 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.

A very good point, it's my guess that most recipes prior to the publishing of 
cocktail books would've been passed on more in an aprenticship manner with the 
old hands passing them to the newbies and so on.

> 
> 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?
> 

Another good point (you're in a rich vein of form with your posts today). I'd 
say it's more than likely that at least some of the recipes would be his 
"interpretation" as oposed to the original.

> 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?

That's just the first written account that we know of, they may pre-date that 
famous reference!

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

Its reliability depends how you use it. I agree that it's not reliable for 
determining original recipes but it is reliable as an example of recipes of 
the period

> 
> <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>
> 

Legally???? I'm a fugitive bartender! you could add sours to that list too ;-)

> 
> <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.


-- 
"Manners maketh the man, Bourbon, vermouth and bitters maketh the Manhattan"