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#89532 12/15/2002 5:10 AM
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Tom Collins, Rob Roy, Singapore Sling, Manhattan, Grasshopper hi Faldage!, Brandy Alexander, etc., etc., etc....a comedy sketch just got me to thinkin' about whether there's any rhyme or reason for these dubbings...are there stories or circumstances which gave rise to any or all of these monickers, or are they simply arbitrary whims of fancy? Bein' in a lazy mood tonight I think I'll see if anyone checks in with some tales about this seemingly endless list (here's a good weekend assignment foy you, Dr. Bill! ), before I go a-Googlin'. and somehow I feel an of troy "Manhattan" story coming on

Mebbe we should start off with cocktail and highball...? and boilermaker? (which I know is yarticle)


#89533 12/15/2002 2:20 PM
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Onliest one I know - and it is possibly apocryphal.

There once was an American Ambassador who often had host cocktail parties where the preferred drink was a Maritini. Since the Ambassador did not want to get drunk he instructed the bartender to fill his Martini glass with water, and to distinguish his water from the gin-vermouth variety, he further instructed the bartender to put two pickled onions in the drink instead of the usual olive so he would always know which drink was his when presented with a tray of Martinis.
The Ambassador was eventually foiled when people started asking for their martini with onion instead of olive. The drink soon became known by the Ambassador's name : Gibson.

So - there you go - a real Gibson is water and two pickled onions in a cocktail glass, not a Martini with onion instead of olive!

As an aside : a sign hangs above the door of a rustic cabin on a New Hampshire lake which is owned by friends and which was built by the men of that family.
The sign reads : "Without the help of Tom Collins this cabin never would have been built."

#89534 12/16/2002 8:27 PM
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So far as I know, Juan, Boilermakers was so named because it was a favourite drink in the ship-building towns of North-East England where those engaged on the hot and heavy work of making boilers managed to work up a pretty impressive thirst, which they quenched with stout-and-mild.
It is an extremely heavy beer - at least, not one to be taken lightly


#89535 12/16/2002 8:43 PM
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We might be talking different boilermakers here. The standard USn boilermaker is a shot of whiskey in a beer.


#89536 12/16/2002 10:24 PM
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I can't contribute anything regarding names of mixed drinks, but I can shed light on "bourbon," which takes its name from Bourbon County, Kentucky, where Elijah Craig supposedly first aged corn whiskey in a charred white oak barrel, which distinguishes bourbon from other corn whiskey.

There is a brand of bourbon called Elijah Craig but it isn't really one of the better ones, unfortunately. And there are no distilleries in Scott County or Bourbon County, at least not any legal ones.

See also http://www.visitlex.com/quick/bourbon.html




#89537 12/17/2002 1:11 AM
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Neat link, Alex, thanks! I found this at another site: Paris, seat of Bourbon County, was first settled in 1776. Both the town and the county were named in appreciation for French aid during the Revolution, one for the capital of France and the other for the French ruling house. One of Kentucky's earliest distilleries named the liquor it produced for the county.
http://www.bgadd.org/tourism/paris.html


#89538 12/17/2002 2:41 AM
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from Alex's (thanks!) bourbon link, some hints to the history of the fabled "Mint Julep":

>The dream of drinks?

You could have guessed that Kentuckians would find a way to combine their two greatest great passions— horse racing and bourbon. The Mint Julep, a concoction of bourbon, sugar and mint on crushed ice, is traditionally drunk at Kentucky Derbytime.

Although the julep didn't originate in Kentucky— several Southern states lay claim to its invention— its connection to the Bluegrass and the Derby secured the drink's place in posterity. "The zenith of man's pleasure... who has not tasted one has lived in vain," Lexington journalist and attorney J. Soule Smith waxed poetic in a sentimental 19th-century recipe. Not all Kentuckians are in agreement on the merits of the julep, however; famous Louisville newspaper publisher Henry Marse Watterson's classic recipe concludes an elaborate description of preparation with instructions to "toss all the other ingredients out the window and drink the bourbon straight."

You can try a mint julep, especially at Derbytime, in many Lexington bars. Area liquor stores carry a variety of pre-mixed versions.

The julep even has its own special cup. You'll find silver antique julep cups in Bluegrass antique shops (and less expensive new pewter ones in jewelry and other shops).<

Well, I reckon there oughtta be a few good Southern yarns out there about this one? Jackie?...Dub-Dub?...AnnaS?... Alex?...Chemeng?...milum? (dare I ask! )

And I drank Bourbon on Bourbon Street! At Mardi Gras!...back in '80.



#89539 12/17/2002 11:53 AM
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I am not actually a fan of the mint julep as I find it too sweet. I like Bass Ale myself.

Elijah Craig was the founder of Georgetown, KY, my hometown, which was then within Bourbon County. Later Scott County was formed out of a part of Bourbon County, with Georgetown as the county seat of the new county.

Some really great bourbons include Knob Creek, named after the creek that was associated with the property of Mary Todd Lincoln's home (or something like that), and Maker's Mark, which is the brand with the red wax on the top of the bottle. Woodford Reserve is supposed to be good too but I've never had it. But if you're going to mix bourbon with Coke then something less fancy like Jim Beam or Wild Turkey is just fine. Save the expensive stuff for drinking straight.

The best story I have regarding bourbon is this...

I visited Japan in 1992. On my way to my destination of Kochi, on the island of Shikoku, I got as far as Osaka by plane and from there had to take a train and finally, a bus. I had a three or four hour stopover in Osaka before my train left, so I found a little bar/restaurant. Once inside, I was immediately noticed by the locals, who asked me where I was from. When I replied that I was from Kentucky, three men exclaimed in near-perfect unison, "Ahh! Bourbon!"




#89540 12/17/2002 11:58 AM
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Is there a name for hot chocolate with Bailey's Irish Cream liqueur? I have my own name for this but I wonder if there is an "official" name.


#89541 12/17/2002 12:07 PM
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Speaking of Mint Juleps - does anyone know why it's called that? Mint, to be sure, but what is a "julep"? Is there any other kind of julep?


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No particular legend around julep, I don't think, Sweetie. It's very prosaic, acc'g. to Atomica:
ju·lep (jû'lĭp)
n.
A mint julep.
A sweet syrupy drink, especially one to which medicine can be added.
[Middle English, a sugar syrup, from Old French, from Medieval Latin, from Arabic julâb, from Persian gulâb, rosewater : gul, rose (from Middle Persian vardâ) + âb, water (from Middle Persian âpfrom Old Persian).]


However, I did find a neat link that includes the legend of mint:
http://home.att.net/~ejlinton/dom_mint-julep.html

============================================================
Alex, that's a great story! I'm surprised: when most foreigners I've known of hear Kentucky, they think "Fried Chicken". I was amazed to see, on one of the first pages of a guidebook to Indonesia, Saya mau ayam goreng Kentucky: "I want Kentucky Fried Chicken".

For the record: yes, I am a Kentuckian born and bred, but I think whiskey is horrid and bourbon abominable--though it smells good.



#89543 12/17/2002 2:09 PM
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I visited Japan in 1992. On my way to my destination of Kochi, on the island of Shikoku, I got as far as Osaka by plane and from there had to take a train and finally, a bus. I had a three or four hour stopover in Osaka before my train left, so I found a little bar/restaurant. Once inside, I was immediately noticed by the locals, who asked me where I was from. When I replied that I was from Kentucky, three men exclaimed in near-perfect unison, "Ahh! Bourbon!"

Well, Alex, the link did say that, next to the US, Australia, Japan, and Germany are the three biggest bourbon-loving countries.



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Is there any other kind of julep?

There's Orange Julep:
http://www.orangejulep.com/html_e/index.htm

Hawaiian Julep:
http://www.hawaiianjulep.com/

Champagne Julep (pmf):
http://www.atontour.com/cocktail/388/Champagne+julep.html

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Jackie, thanks for that look-up! Now how old Persian came to migrate itself via old Frog and M.E. into a name of a Southern drink, only God (and maybe the OED, AHD or tsuwm) knows.

Is Atomica a source in itself? Or does it rely on specific dictionaries?


#89546 12/17/2002 3:53 PM
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Well lord knows I heard "Kentucky Fried Chicken!" just about every other day in Japan. I like KFC but one gets tired of hearing it day after day.




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Is there any other kind of julep?

There's Orange Julep: http://www.orangejulep.com/html_e/index.htm
Hawaiian Julep: http://www.hawaiianjulep.com/
Champagne Julep (pmf): http://www.atontour.com/cocktail/388/Champagne+julep.html


Yes, but Hawaiian Julep is a Texas-based company, not a drink; Orange Julep is a latter-day soft drink (not to be confused with Orange Julius); and Champagne Julep is just a minty variation with Champagne instead of Bourbon.

Not to be picky or anything.


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Not to be picky or anything.

Well...Faldage can handle it!




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Sorry, Anna; I should have included the rest of the Atomica page, I guess, though I have before:
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
I was thinking, as I read that earlier, how wonderful I think our tsuwm is for developing a site that is sometimes credited by Atomica! [proud e]

I, too, thought about the traveling the word julep did. I guess people back then knew the word. I have never heard it in any other context than with mint. As far as I know, people here today just say syrup. I must say, "mint julep" has more appeal to it than "mint syrup" does! By the way, does anyone else fluctuate in their pronunciation of the word syrup? I say some i's northern and some southern, but I don't know if being in a border state accounts for my saying sir-up at some times and sear-up at others.



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Faldage can handle it!

Why don't you handle it, Juan?


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Why don't you handle it, Juan?

Huh?



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Huh?

Naw, go ahead. It'll be good practice.


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In reply to:

I was amazed to see, on one of the first pages of a guidebook to Indonesia, Saya mau ayam goreng Kentucky: "I want Kentucky Fried Chicken".


Hmm. I think people are more likely to say just saya mau Kentucky. Can't think why, ayam goreng (Indonesian style fried chicken) is much nicer.

Incidentally, is California Fried Chicken (which is ghastly) known elsewhere? Indonesia's the only place I've seen it.

Bingley



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#89554 12/18/2002 9:19 AM
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Bellini cocktail

In 1948, Giuseppe Cipriani, the head bartender and owner of an artists’ café in Venice, the famous and original Harry's Bar, mixed one third white peach juice with fresh fruit pulp with two thirds Prosecco sparkling spumante and a touch of raspberry juice. The Bellini cocktail was born, and it is not the same, or as good, if made with Champagne which has become popular in some places. I have heard it said the Bellini was named after the painter Giovanni Bellini, but also that it was named for Vincenzo Bellini the composer, I don't know the truth. The cocktail was made famous by Hemmingway who frequented the bar, as did other celebrities including Orson Welles and Truman Capote. The Bar is still famous and still attracting celebrities; it hides behind an unpretentious door just off the waterfront by St Marks. It may be unpretentious, but it is very expensive and they don't like you to be dressed with too much informality; shorts are not welcome, dress smart or smart casual!


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Is there a name for hot chocolate with Bailey's Irish Cream liqueur? I have my own name for this but I wonder if there is an "official" name.

There're loads of variations of drinks made with Bailey's. Favourites include with coffee (take note ye closet alcos) and in cakes (okay, that's not a drink but it is quite nice!).

Speaking of Ron Collins, Tom Collins etc, etc. there is an Irish variety called a Michael Collins - one shot and hit the road........


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one shot and hit the road.. Sheesh, talk about black humor:
Collins, Michael Politician
(1890–1922)
Irish politician and Sinn Féin leader, born near Clonakilty, County Cork, E Ireland. He became an MP (1918–22), and with Arthur Griffith was largely responsible for the negotiation of the treaty with Great Britain in 1921. He was killed in an ambush by his former compatriots, between Bandon and Macroom.

See also:
Griffith, Arthur


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright © AND Classification Data Limited. All rights reserved.





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Is there a name for hot chocolate with Bailey's Irish Cream liqueur? I have my own name for this but I wonder if there is an "official" name.

Dunno about hot chocolate with Bailey's, but I've heard hot chocolate with peppermint schnapps (mmm mmm!) called a Polar Bear....

I want to know why Sex on the Beach is called that. And other similar drink names....

Thinking way back to my 21st birthday (still something of a big deal in Canada, at least for those of us of British descent), I remember going out to a club with some friends. This club had shooter bars all over the place, and my friends were buying me drinks; I was pleased to report at the end of the evening that I'd had an Orgasm with Delbert and a Test-tube Baby with Rahul, but my boyfriend at the time was not amused!




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What's a shooter bar, please?


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I can't stand all those drink names like "Screaming Orgasm" and "Sex on the Beach" and all that stuff. I guess I'm an old fogey.


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I guess I'm an old fogey.
Nah. You're too young to be an old one. [parting shot e]



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Hi Jackie!

A shooter bar is a bar within a club at which they specialize in making shooters (shot-glass-sized mixed drinks). I don't remember what was in either of the drinks I mentioned, but these bars seemed to revel in making weird combinations, some of which looked very odd as well - for example, they might mix a cream liqueur with a translucent one, without stirring, to create a kind of queer test-tuby effect (what is that thing growing in there?!), or mix different colours in layers (such as blue Curacao and creme de menthe).

Which reminds me of an interesting sidebar: When my mother and I visited the island of Curacao in the Caribbean many years ago, one of the things we did was take a tour that included a stop at the curacao distillery - where we learned that one can only get "true" curacao liqueur on the island. They just don't export what they make there because it can be made elsewhere as a local product - they don't hold a copyright on it. Why? Because it is verboten to copyright geographical names.

Dang. Bet they're wishing they'd called the good stuff "Fred" or something - anything! - other than "curacao"!


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Well I guess I am a young fogey then! Seriously, the thought of walking up to a bartender and ordering any of the following absurd drink names is just way too silly:

shit on the grass http://www.barmeister.com/cgi-bin/drink.view.pl?drink=1384
silk panties http://www.barmeister.com/cgi-bin/drink.view.pl?drink=1389
sex with a porcupine http://www.barmeister.com/cgi-bin/drink.view.pl?drink=1377
slippery dick http://www.barmeister.com/cgi-bin/drink.view.pl?drink=1401
sloppy wet kiss http://www.barmeister.com/cgi-bin/drink.view.pl?drink=1406
Slow Comfortable Screw
http://www.barmeister.com/cgi-bin/drink.view.pl?drink=1408
chocolate banana enema http://www.barmeister.com/cgi-bin/drink.view.pl?drink=347

Furthermore the drinks sound atrocious by the descriptions. It actually gets much worse as far as juvenile ribaldry. Follow these links if you dare...http://www.barmeister.com/cgi-bin/drink.view.pl?drink=377, http://www.barmeister.com/cgi-bin/drink.view.pl?drink=574


However, I have to admit that I like a drink with a famously sissy name. It started with a college roommate who used to add a dash of Grenadine to a glass of 7-UP. I tried it and liked it, and later was told that that was essentially a "Shirley Temple," although the original is made with ginger ale.




#89563 12/31/2002 6:04 PM
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we used to drink the "Slow Comfortable Screw Up Against the Wall" when I was in college. I don't remember what was in it. matter-of-fact, I don't remember much from then...





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#89564 12/31/2002 9:00 PM
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I've long wanted to develop the Shirley Temple Black but I haven't figured out whether it was a Shirley Temple with a shot of dark creme de cacao or with a shot of Black Bush.

A bartender (female) and the cocktail waitresses at a bar I used to call home, tired of being leeringly asked for Slow Comfortable Screw invented the Long Slow Screw in the Back Seat of a Golden Cadillac. I never did find out what was in it.


#89565 12/31/2002 9:49 PM
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I've long wanted to develop the Shirley Temple Black

Mebbe mixin' a little grenadine and 7-Up into a Black Russian? I used to drink Black Russians once, but I could never remember anything after the second drink, so I gave 'em up


#89566 12/31/2002 10:33 PM
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Black Russian

We found ourselves drinking our black Russians too easily and decided we needed to rough the drink up a little. We discovered that we got a different price if we described the Black Mandarin as a Black Russian with orange juice or as a Screwdriver with Kahlua.


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Ooh! I used to drink Golden Cadillacs; they're delicious! Though my drink of choice remains a grasshopper--speaking of unappetizing names. Thanks again, Sweetie! I'd be pretty reluctant to order most of the drinks on your list. I did notice that a couple actually have a bit of relevance. For ex., Slow Comfortable Screw seems to be sloe gin and Southern Comfort added to a screwdriver. Slow Comfortable Screw Against the Wall seems to be the same, added to a Harvey Wallbanger.


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And lemme tell ya, they don't call Mogen David wine "Mad Dog" for nuthin'!


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I have to admit that I like a drink with a famously sissy name

Hey Alex, I love Shirley Temples too! I always drink 'em when invited for dinner at Swiss Chalet (chicken 'n' ribs chain, for them as doesn't have it).

And your mention of "silk panties" reminded me of a story told me by a boyfriend, long ago. He was a waiter and once served a table of guys who asked him to bring them each a "six forty-nine." He did not know what this was (apart from the name of, um, a national lottery? or provincial? not sure - anyway, it's known as Lotto 649 or just 649). They told him that a 649 is always different, because it is created by counting six bottles in from the right on the first row of bottles behind the bar, then four bottles in from the left on the next row, then nine bottles in from the right again on the next row. (Or I might have got my lefts and rights mixed up. You can do it either way, I guess....) This makes for some pretty unlikely combinations at times. I tried it at a bar in Valdez, Alaska, once (needless to say, I had to explain about the whole Canadian lottery thing!), and what I got was revolting! think it was something like a mixture of pear brandy, pineapple liqueur and blue curacao or something weird like that.

But the fellers this boyfriend was serving that day were luckier, and got something drinkable, and decided to remember the concoction and have it again sometime....And they called it "silk panties." I went and had a look at this recipe you offer, and it only has two ingredients, so clearly isn't the same....(Before I looked I was all excited, thinking I knew the origin of the drink! wrong.... )



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