Cocktails have such a sense of place and time, I love their back stories too! Some are great matches with food, others are great aperitifs or night caps. Learn more with these classic cocktail recipes and the Cocktails FAQ below.
While spirits and wine have been mixed with other ingredients since ancient times, cocktail making and the art of the mixed drink became widely popular in the USA in the second half of the 19th century, once ice became commonly available. The late 19th and early 20th century is considered the ‘Golden Age’ of cocktails, when classics like the Martini and Daiquiri first appeared.
The jury is still out on the origin of the word cocktail. Some say it is from the French ‘coquetiers’ meaning egg cups, as mixed drinks were sometimes served in egg cups. Others say that early cocktails were garnished with a feather from a rooster’s tail to be used as a stirrer. A third alternative compares an impure or adulterated drink to non-thoroughbred horses, which often had their tails docked and were said to be cock-tailed.
Punches were already popular in Britain in the 18th century, being served from large bowls in drinking establishments known as Punch Houses.
Yes, popular classic cocktails are made with sparkling wine including Champagne and Prosecco as well as with Sherry. Vermouth is a common ingredient in cocktails and it is an aromatised wine.
Shrubs are an early mixer used in cocktails, they’re sweet-sour syrups made by combining sugar and vinegar with botanicals.
Shrubs were carried on sea voyages as a preserved source of Vitamin C to help prevent scurvy and disease onboard.
