1935 Old Waldorf-Astoria Bar Book

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OLD WALDORF-ASTORIA BAR BOOK

McKinley's delight, I am unable to ascertain. The chances are that President McKinley never found out whether it was or not. In its favor, I may mention that the Bar was a great hangout for the G.0.P.'s of yesteryear, who may have passed their enthusiasm for their candidates across the counter for the barman to translate into terms of liquid intensity. The Waldorf Bar served a Racquet Club, a Riding Club and a Union League Club cocktail, thus honoring certain social and representative New York institutions. But who the "Mrs. Thompson" was, whose name was bestowed upon one of its cocktails, frankly, I do not know. Nor do I know just what state of spiritual or spirituous elevation, or on whose part, suggested the christening of the St. Francis or the St. Peter or the St. John, though the first may have been called after a California hotel, and not after a friar long deceased. The stage, whether or not it drove men to drink in those days, certainly inspired much drinking, and success– ful plays often stood godfather for bartenders' concep– tions. The great success of "Rosemary," with which John Drew and one of Charles Frohman's best companies helped open the Astoria part of the Old Waldorf-Astoria, was celebrated in a cocktail of the same name, composed of equal parts of Vermouth and Bourbon. The tuneful "Merry Widow" and the almost equally whistleable "Chocolate Soldier" were drowned in baptismal cocktails at the Wal– dorf Bar. The Merry Widow cocktail was made of half French Vermouth and half Dubonnet; the Chocolate Sol– dier, an appropriately stronger potation, was composed of one-third Dubonnet, two-thirds Nicholson Gin and a dash of Lime Juice. "Peg o' My Heart" and "Rob Roy"