Wedding Drinks of the 1920s

Roaring flappers, the explosion of Jazz and the complexity and elegance of Art Decco marked the decade known as the 1920s. Wedded bliss increased as prosperity and female style evolved and not even Prohibition (the Amendment that outlawed the selling and distribution of alcohol) could squelch the number of creative cocktails that found their way to weddings throughout the United States.

One of the most significant drinks of the 1920s wedding was Champagne Punch. This tasty cocktail combines 1 cup of water and 2 cups of sugar (boiled together to create a simple syrup,) then mixes a quart of champagne, 4 tablespoons of brandy, 2 tablespoons of rum (Medford rum was the choice of the day,) 2 tablespoons of orange Curacao (a liqueur derived from the dried peel of the laraha citrus fruit,) the juice of two lemons and two cups two infusion in large punch bowl. Add a large piece of ice to your punch bowl and just before serving, add soda water. This tasty concoction will add to the memories (or make you forget them.)

Simple. Classic. Sophisticated. These are a few of the words used to describe the Martini Cocktail. Two ingredients combine to make this drink of 1920s drinks. Take 1 and ½ ounce of gin and mix with ½ ounce of dry vermouth and you have the beginning of what most drink aficionados call the only martini that is truly a martini (sorry Appletini; you’re just a mixed drink in a martini glass.) Add ice cubes in a shaker and strain into a chilled martini glass. For an extra twist (and a bit of nourishment) add an olive or a twist of lemon.

The Mint Julep usually conjures up thoughts of Southern gentlemen, ladies with large hats who say “ya’ll,” and the Kentucky Derby, but this drink has its cloudy origins somewhere in the early 1900s and was a popular choice at weddings of the 1920s. The Mint Julep is a basic mixed drink combining mint leaves (4-6) that are crushed with a teaspoon of powdered sugar and two teaspoons of water in a Collins glass. Add shaved or crushed ice and ½ ounce of Bourbon (preferred choices are Maker’s Mark or Woodford Reserve.) Once the items are in the glass, add more ice and a sprig of mint for a dash of color and added flavor.

While the name Brandy Sour sounds more like a villainess in a Russ Meyer’s film, it actually refers to a popular 1920s semi-sweet mixed drink. Beginning with two ounces of brandy, add the juice of ½ a lemon and ½ teaspoon of powdered sugar into a shaker. Mix well and strain into a whiskey glass. Garnish with ½ lemon slice and a cherry and you’ve got a sexy cocktail to pass out to all those sexy flapper maids of honor.

Every good 1920s wedding would have included the popular mixed drink known as the Minute Man Highball. Highballs (served in Highball glasses, of course) mix an alcoholic base and a larger amount of a non-alcoholic mixer. Contemporary drinks that fall into this category include the Gin and Tonic, Jack and Coke and the Scotch and Soda. The Minute Man was a bit more complex but no less tasty. In a glass filled with crushed ice, combine two ounces of Applejack a sweet smelling liquor made from apples), one ounce of Port Wine and a dash of orange juice. Fill the rest of the glass with seltzer or carbonated water and stir. A minute to make, an hour to enjoy.

2 ¼ ounces of brandy plus ¾ ounces of crème de menthe along with crushed ice equals a Stinger. Mix the brandy and crushed ice and pour into a chilled martini glass. Add the crème de menthe last and enjoy. This popular cocktail had an upscale following and was considered a wise drink for those wanting to disguise the scent of alcohol on the breath-not a bad idea during the 1920s. Men seemed to favor this cocktail served in a martini glass as it looked cool and went down smooth.

Weddings are always a time to celebrate so why not take flight with the Aviation. This cocktail, rumored to have soared into Hugo Ensslins’ Recipes for Mixed Drinks, is served in a martini glass. Combine 2 ounces of gin (Tanquerary, please), ½ an ounce maraschino liqueur, ½ lemon juice and if you’ve got it, crème de violette (much easier to find now) in a cocktail shaker. Strain and pour into a chilled glass and garnish with a flamed lemon peel to add that extra bit of authenticity.

If flying is not the way to go, then perhaps a ride with a Locomotive might be your speed. This complex drink requires a bit of culinary skill. In a warm sauce pan mix 6 ounces of dry red wine, ½ an ounce of Curacao, ½ an ounce of maraschino liqueur and ½ an ounce of honey. Wait until the honey is dissolves without boiling the mixture. Add 1 egg; slightly beaten and bring to a simmer. Pour into a room temperature cocktail glass with a lemon slice and enjoy. This inventive drink is sure to put you on the right track.

If you want to feel old fashioned without drinking an Old Fashioned, then try a Whiskey Smash. Using a glass, combine crushed mint, simple syrup (created by mixing 1 part sugar with 1 part water, heating and cooling) and one ounce of water. Add 1 and ½ ounces of bourbon, strain into an Old Fashioned glass and add a sprig of mint. This cocktail was a sure smash at any 1920s wedding.

A sunny drink makes for a sunny wedding so no affair is complete without a Palm Beach Special. 1 and ½ ounces gin, 1 and ½ teaspoons of sweet vermouth and 1 and ½ teaspoons of grapefruit juice shaken and strained into a martini glass is a delightful way to watch the bride process or drown the sorrows over the loss of the groom. Either way it’s like sunshine in a glass with a kick.

The cocktails of the 1920s wedding were nearly as interesting as the guests in attendance and the consumption of alcohol whether in a speakeasy or an elegant wedding added to the allure and roar of the time.

Sources:

www.drinksmixer.com

www.foodtimeline.org

www.applejackfestival.com

www.esquire.com

www.cocktails.about.com

www.idrinkcom

www.supercocktails.com

www.allrecipes.com

Bredenbek, Magnus What Shall We Drink? Popular Drinks, Recipes and Toasts Read Books, 2008