1906 How to Mix Drinks Compiled Selected and Concocted by G Spaulding and W Rositer

THE ORIGIN OF ' · 'COCK­ TAIL" F 8W people a r e aware of the ori­ gin of the magic American word "cocktail," the mere utter­ ance of which is sufficient to The word comes f ro m Mexico, w h er e pulque, a kind of l i qu o r obtain e d from the c a c t u s, is the national tipple. '.rile Aztec word for pulque is pro­ nou ced "octel," and the Am e r i ca n army w hi c h under General Scott ln­ vad � d Mexico some fifty odd ye a r s ago corrupted the word Into "cock­ tail," and carried it ba c k to the United States. There Is a tradition that pulque was discovered by one of Montezu­ ll)a·s nobles, who sent it to the Jilm­ peror by the band of his d a u g ht e r Octel. The m ona r c h tas�ed the liquor, looked at the maiden. s m i l e d , and thernupon gulped it down. It not only tickled his p al a t e, but touched bis heart, and It is repo r t e d that he m a r r ied the girl. From that d a y to this the Mexicans have kept them­ se l ves well supplied with p u l q ue, and wh e n drinking together i nv a ri a b l y look and sm i l e at one another b e fore swallowing. The Americans have adopted a sim­ ilar c u s to m wh e n imbibing their whlslcey, and frequently, wh · en de­ sirous of inviting a fri e nd to take a .Jrink , ask h i m to h a v e a "smile." bring a look of h a ppin e ss to the f ea t u r e s of any well conditioned American citizen.