WANING POPULARITY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22744, 3 December 1935, Page 18

WANING POPULARITY

DECLINE OF THE COCKTAIL King Cocktail is in danger of losing his throne, says the Cape Times. The last few months, eay the experts, have seen a gradual change of public taste from the “kick” of the cocktail to the more elusive appeal of oldfashioned sherry. King Cocktail, discovered about a century ago, sprang into favour during the Great War. “ Cocktails probably became popular,” said a barman at a Capetown dub, “ mainly because the supplies of sherry from the Continent were cut off. Gin and vermouth were comparatively easy to obtain.” Jim, the barman, is rejoicing over the cocktail’s gradual loss of popularity. The drink, he said, is very pleasing, but the potent spirit which is its main ingredient spoils the palate. “ I have seen youngsters drink a couple of cocktails,” he said, “and then do no more than pick at a good dinner ten minutes later. Good sherry, and I emphasise the ‘good,’ is more beneficial from every point of view.” In spite of the present downward tendency of the cocktail, it will probably take some time before the “ White Ladies,” “Alice Mines,” the “American Beauties,” the “Angel’s Wings,” and the 300 other varieties go completely out of fashion. ' Their appeal is subtle and insidious. Besides, it has been said that the cocktail was created for the solace of man as a slight compensation for the creation of woman. Mention of women calls to mind a little story about the origin of the name “ cocktail,” published in that intriguing work, “ The Savoy Cocktail Book,” which is “ a complete conpendium of cocktails, rickeys, daisies, slings, smashes, fizzes, juleps, cobblers, fixes, and other drinks.” About 100 years ago, so the tale runs, there being a decided difference of opinion between Mexico and the Southern States of America, King Axolotl VIII -f Mexico and the American general decided to meet in the royal pavilion "> talk things over. To show that there was no real bad feeling between them the King gave a command for refreshment and there appeared a woman of entrancing beauty bearing a jewelled cup which contained a strange potion of her own brewing. Immediately an awed and ominous hush fell upon the assembly, for everyone realised that if either the King or the general drank out of the cup first tic other would feel insulted. The situation was growing tense, when the cup-bearer, with a sweet smile, saved it by drinking the potion herself. The conference was a great success, and before leaving the general asked me name of the fair maiden so that she could be honoured for evermore in .is army. “That,” proudly said the King, who had never seen the woman before, “is •my daughter, Coctcl.” Coctel, of course, became Cocktail — and there you are! Before King Cocktail goes entirely out of fashion, try this “Corpse Reviver” recipe when you're feeling blue (four of them, incidentally, taken in quick succession, are guaranteed to unrevive the corpse again) : quarter of a wineglass each of lemon juice, Kina Lillet, Cointreau, and dry gin, and a dash of absinthe ; shake well and strain.