1943 Cocktail Digest by Oscar Haimo of the Hotel Pierre

PREFACE

Historians have been misled into iinaginiiifi thai the name "cocktail" was in some way derived from the caudal plumage of the domestic rooster; or have attributed the word's origin to a fantastic tale of a Mexican King with a heautifu! daughter who was conveniently named "Coctel." Though somewhat labored in the one case and romantic in the other, neither happens to be The author of this "Cocktail Digest" has heard the question, '"Where did the name cocktail originate?" debated in hundreds of the foremost bars of both Europe and America, but has never yet heard any two of the debaters agree on the point; or indeed anyone able to produce any definite and satisfying proof of his contentions, so he offers his own theory—a simple one. The word "cocktail" is from the word "concoct." If it isn't, it ought to be. In any event, why seek for involved reasons for the christening of so delightful a potion—for in the hand of a master of the art, the cocktail, like nothing else in these trying days, has power to lighten our heavy hours and give a rosier hue to our lighter moments. In this little book will be found the results of years of study and research by one who has been acknowledged a supreme master of the art, for art it is. ... And though the author is con fident that, should anything pertaining to the mixing of cock tails have been omitted from this book it was, lin all probability, not worth including—and so: With a slight how to the artist in you. Sir or Madam, a blank page has been left at the end to insert any new concoctions you mav create--/! Volrc Smile. accurate.