Interesting Facts about 5 Famous Cocktails
When you glam up for a party and are served a glass of your favourite cocktail, have you ever wondered about the story behind its existence? Have you ever been curious about the origin of the cocktail you order at the bar?
Many people know the ingredients of exotic and famous cocktails but, do not know the stories behind them. Well, here’s a rundown of ten amazing facts you never knew about some of the most famous cocktails in the world.
The Bloody Mary
This cocktail needs no introduction. It is one of the most famous cocktails in the world. It is mostly known for its hangover ‘cure’ effect. Legend has it that this drink was created by a restaurateur in the early 1990s. Although some people believe that its creation and name is attributed to Queen Mary who ferociously attempted to bring back Catholicism to England. The tomato juice in the drink represents blood; however, this fact is debatable. This cocktail has many variations, but they all include the basic ingredients vodka, tomato juice and some spices for flavour.
The Pina Colada
This is another famous cocktail many people like to drink. It is made from pineapple juice, coconut and rum. What you never knew until this moment is that, the cream of coconut which is one of the ingredients was inspired the creation of this drink. Don Ramon Lopez owned the Coco Lopez company that sold premade cream of coconut. He sold this premade cream of coconut to bartenders and urged them to experiment with it. One of the bartenders hit upon the combo, Pina Colada, and from then on, it has been a perfect history. It was a mark of success in business for both Don Ramon and the bartender.
The Screw Driver
Just like everyone knows what a screwdriver looks like, that’s the same way it is easy to identify with this cocktail. This drink is a combination of vodka and orange juice. The stories surrounding the creation of this cocktail has so many variations. However, the most popular of these variations suggests that the drink came into existence when a bunch of blue-collar job employees started mixing their orange juice with vodka using their work tool- a screwdriver. Another version of the story credits the creation of this legendary drink to a certain John Martin. He is said to have come about this drink while trying to Smirnoff Vodka a brand in the USA. Legend even has it that to promote his business, John Martin loaded a tanker with his Screwdriver and handed them out on Hollywood Boulevard.
The Margarita
This was the most ordered drink in 2008 according to the Cheers On-Premise Handbook. It was recorded in that year that Americans consumed 185,000 margaritas on average per hour. There are tonnes of variations to this cocktail, but the original recipe consists of tequila, lime, Cointreau and salt to garnish. The salt in the margarita is a very important ingredient. The origin of this drink is quite murky, and no one is really sure who invented it. One story says that it was created by a socialite by name Margarita Sames in 1948. This is probably not true, though. Another story says that a man named Danny Herrera made the drink in his Tajuana restaurant in the 1930s. The drink was first mentioned in print in 1937 in the book Café Royal Cocktail Book by William Tarling. The most expensive margarita was sold for £900!
The Irish Coffee
While many cocktail histories are wrapped up in mystery, the story behind this cocktail is most probably closer to the truth than many other legends about cocktails. Many people think that this drink gets it name from the fact that Irish people generally love to drink and adding booze in their drink won’t stop them from drinking, however, the Irish are tea drinkers. This drink was created when a bartender had put whiskey in the coffee of some stranded passengers while their flight was delayed in Ireland. He did this to warm them up and yes, it did get them very excited, and they wondered if it was Brazilian coffee. The bartender told them it was Irish coffee. The drink was such a hit that these passengers took word of it back to the United States where is became very popular since then. This cocktail has since evolved from its original recipe and keeps evolving even today.
