By Alex Goodwin
Attention all amateur mixologists! If you’re someone who likes sweet little drinks (perhaps with a kick), look no further. Recently, Herrick Library North Branch in Holland hosted a fun event that not only talked about the history of mixology, but offered the opportunity to taste non-alcoholic versions of popular 1920s drinks. Two of our Big Read interns, Rachel and Alex (that’s me) had to check it out, and wow, is there a lot to report!
One of the most interesting takeaways from this event was learning that the popularization of the cocktail (and mixed drinks in general) came about in the United States during Prohibition. Since alcohol was illegal to buy or sell, the alcohol that people could come by was typically of very poor quality, and the only way to make it drinkable was to add other liquids and flavors to it. With this new method of creating drinks, adult beverages like the Old Fashioned and the Sidecar became classics alongside the already popular straight-up alcoholic drinks.
During the event, audience members watched Jake, a Herrick employee, as he mixed drinks and showed the methods for making the mocktail versions of three popular 1920s drinks: the Sidecar, the French 75, and the Old Fashioned. Despite having no alcohol as originally intended, the mocktails were surprisingly good, especially given the interesting substitutions made in some cases to make them family-friendly (see especially the Old Fashioned further down).
Here are what the mocktails are made of, as well as some basic directions for you to make them at home if you wish!
The French 75
Ingredients: .5 oz lemon juice, 1 oz simple syrup, 2 oz sparkling water, orange zest, lemon twist
Process: Combine lemon juice, simple syrup, & sparkling water with ice. Zest orange over the top, then stir. Strain mixture into a glass and garnish with lemon.
[can also be made with 1 oz gin & 2 oz sparkling wine instead of sparkling water and orange zest]
The Sidecar
Ingredients: 2 oz orange juice, 1 oz lemon juice, 1 oz simple syrup, 1 oz sparkling water/club soda, orange slice
Process: Combine all ingredients except sparkling water and orange slice into a shaker, shake well. Add the sparkling water, pour over ice, and garnish with an orange slice.
[can also be made with 1.5 oz cognac & .75 oz orange liqueur in lieu of orange juice, simple syrup, and sparkling water]
The Old Fashioned
Ingredients: 3 oz chilled black tea, 1 oz maple syrup, squeeze of juice from an orange, orange peel garnish
Process: Combine all ingredients into a mixing glass and stir or shake until chilled, then strain into a glass over ice. Garnish with an orange slice.
**Note: Syrup hardens when cooled, so combine the ingredients into a mixing glass that isn’t pre-chilled
[alcoholic version is made with 3 oz bourbon, .5 oz simple syrup, and a dash of bitters instead of black tea, maple syrup, and orange juice]
If this is the first time you are hearing about this event and wish you could have gone, Herrick and your local libraries have some resources for you to have your own mixology night! Check out your local library to see what you can make!
