1935 Old Waldorf-Astoria Bar Book

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OLD WALDORF-ASTORIA BAR BOOK

Certainly whatever may have been lacking in the results of their missionary endeavors up to the Spanish-American War was made up in 1898, just before and after Dewey's capture of the Spanish fleet in Manila Bay and during the Boxer Rebellion a few years later. Whatever the oft~ encountered sign "American Bar" may have lacked in authentic backing when one encountered it in Europe, out in what were known as the Treaty Ports of China, in Yoko– hama and such other places in the Orient as our sailors, marines and soldiers came to know, one could find his Martini or any other cocktail that was in vogue back in the States. Yet, while the cocktail is an American invention, its derivation and first date of application are hazed by anec– dote and fancy. Take, for example, a story once heard in the Orient. "A cocktail?" the Mandarin repeated, eying the drink doubtfully. "Yes," replied the Standard Oil man, his host in Hong Kong. "But why the name?" The other shook his head. "Drink it and you will find the rooster feathers growing on you." The Mandarin drank, perplexed. Having drunk, how– ever, his curiosity over the name left him. All he wanted was another of the same. Soon afterward began in the Far East a demand for bottled Martinis and Manhattans, which did more to Americanize the Chinese than any other influence. J'here was once a day when women did not drink cocktails. They even hesitated to pronounce the name. Over here we spoke of "roosters." Of course everybody