1937 Café Royal Cocktail Book Coronation Edition

At the Aquarium, long since pulled down, an American bar was opened at about the same time, but this was rather a shoddy affair, and was looked upon more as a sideshow. The Mint Julep is an American beverage, although the original Julep was an ancient Persian drink composed of rose-flavoured water. Captain Marryatt was the first Englishman to write about it in the year 1815. At first sight he may seem to have slightly overrated what he describes as " the most delightful and insinuating of potations," but it must be borne in mind that he records the fact that the temperature was over 100 in the shade, and he was being entertained in royal fashion by one of the wealthiest planters in the Southern States of America. He remarks that there were many varieties of Juleps such as those made with claret, madeira, etc., but the one on which he lavished the most adjectives was the Mint Julep, of which he gave the recipe: " Put into a tumbler about a dozen sprigs of the tender shoots of mint, upon them put a spoonful of white sugar and equal proportions of peach and common brandy so as to fill it up to one-third or a trifle less. Then take pounded ice and fill up the tumbler. Epicures rub the lips of the tumbler with a piece of fresh pineapple and the tumbler itself is very often encrusted with ice. When the ice melts you drink." It will be seen from the above that Juleps were made originally from Wines and Brandy. It was not until the Civil War broke out that Bourbon Whisky was used, either from patriotic reasons or necessity, and the habit thus acquired has persisted to the present day when unless Brandy is specially ordered, either Rye or Bourbon Whisky is used. In the section of this book devoted to long drinks I give the recipe for the well-known julep, and I recommend cordially the original Mint Julep which appealed so strongly to Captain Marryatt. " Planters' Punch " occupied much the same position