An acquaintance told me recently that cocktails were an American thing and I wondered at the thought. He followed up by asking me why Americans have cocktails with dinner. He thought that was a bit odd.
Why, he asked?
Well, in a word, Prohibition.
Before Prohibition, drinking alcoholic beverages in the United States was relegated for the most part to taverns or roadside inns, and it was mostly straight up spirits or beer. Mostly men who wanted a solid drink after work, or instead of work.
When Prohibition hit, we had to make out own booze, and let’s be honest, some of it was quite shit. So, we had to mix it with something to make it just mildly tolerable on the palette. Also, we had to hide it somehow. How better to hide that whisky than by disguising it as a glass of tea. Have you ever noticed how you can’t tell if a glass of lemonade is really just a glass of lemonade?
So, consider that we had to make these exceptions for over ten years, you might understand that as a culture, we grew accustomed to drinking a mixed drink, or a cocktail with dinner.
Personally, it’s not something I favor. I prefer a glass of wine with my meal, or maybe a cold beer. It depends on the meal. I’ll have my cocktail after dinner, or before. Or, I’ll enjoy a craft cocktail on its own, without dinner.
Ultimately, I told my friend that anything goes. There aren’t any rules, and in today’s craft spirits world, the right cocktail might be paired perfectly with your meal. If he wants to be a stodgy, stuffed shirt about it, he’s probably missing out!
Cheers and drink responsibly!
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