notes on the origin of cocktails:
The settlers in America had, in spite of the harsh life also time to
enjoy sports and games. It is known that riding and shooting was
popular, as well as lassoing was a popular pastime. What was most sought in the scarce hour off, was the cockfight though.
Just before the start of a cockfight, alcohol was mixed in the cocks
food, the mixture kept as a secret by each team. This mixture increased the fighting spirit (which also happens for some humans
when we get too much to drink), and then the fight began.
It's from these cock-fights some mixologist think the term
cocktail stems.
If the men were to have a fist fight, they were beforehand
agitated by a strong drink. This drink was called "cockpride",
and many are of the opinion that this is the originator of the cocktail. This could be plausible, since there is a proverb from that time saying: "The cocktail blows him to a man". The mixologists leaning toward the cockfights also refers to a proverb
from the time. When the fight was over. the owner of the winner cut the tail of the dead cock, and with raised glass he proudly proclaimed: "Let us have a drink on the cock's tail".
Source: "Cocktail Bogen" af Aloisia og Hugo Jensen, 1967 (danish). |
