Definition of cocktail

[GameTheory]

I was just wondering why cocktails are called that, and looking at the wikipedia entry (which gives no firm etymology) I found the earliest printed definition:


The earliest definition of "cocktail" was in the May 13, 1806, edition of the Balance and Columbian Repository, a publication in Hudson, New York, in which an answer was provided to the question, "What is a cocktail?". It replied:

“Cocktail is a stimulating liquor composed of spirits of any kind, sugar, water, and bitters — it is vulgarly called a bittered sling and is supposed to be an excellent electioneering potion, inasmuch as it renders the heart stout and bold, at the same time that it fuddles the head. It is said, also to be of great use to a Democratic candidate: because a person, having swallowed a glass of it, is ready to swallow anything else.”



Reminds me of this Bob Hope clip, which was been posted here before:

RWpU8sX10_4

[Robert Goren]

:lol: :lol: :lol:

I believe he was referring to now extinct branch of the democratic party known as southern democrats, dixiecrats or yellow dog democrats. Sorry I just couldn't resist.;)

[chickenhead]

NO GOOGLING

had to look up origins of "kitty corner/catty corner" (also in play, which do you use?) to settle a christmas eve family dispute, anyone that knows from where it derives gets 10 points.

Subtract 5 points if you never wondered why its called kitty corner before right now.

[Pace Cap'n]

Darn it! I just googled all over my computer.

[DJofSD]

Probably related to cattywampus.

[chickenhead]

never heard cattywampus in speech before, it is similiar.

It's gone from catercorner >> cattycorner (or wampus, maybe) >> to what is common around here, kitty corner.

better than pussy corner, I guess

[bigmack]

NO GOOGLING

had to look up origins of "kitty corner/catty corner" (also in play, which do you use?) to settle a christmas eve family dispute, anyone that knows from where it derives gets 10 points.

Subtract 5 points if you never wondered why its called kitty corner before right now.
I wondered a few years back and looked it up. For anyone that hasn't looked it up you're talking about an impossible configuration.

I guess what I'm saying is that Kitty/Catty Corner is Kitty/Catty Wompus.

[swami13]

Great Clip, thanks for posting :jump:

[Robert Goren]

Catty Corner is High German

Kitty Corner is Low German

Catty Wompus is Dutch

But I could be wrong.

[Robert Goren]

Speaking about Cocktails, Does anyone drink a Tom Collins anymore?

[Tom]

I do, but they are not the same without Wink;), the sassy one.
Love my TC's. My fav summer drink, but they go down nice all year.
Now that you mention it, I will have one tonight with the Food TV contest!

Go Emeril....BAM!

[DJofSD]

I've got both that Iron Chef and the Worse Cooks queued up on the DVR for Monday night. Love Ann Burrell.

[Warren Henry]

I do, but they are not the same without Wink;), the sassy one.
Love my TC's. My fav summer drink, but they go down nice all year.
Now that you mention it, I will have one tonight with the Food TV contest!

Go Emeril....BAM!
We prefer John Collins (no offense, Tom). Agree about the Wink.