Americas First Celebrity Bartender

The cocktail is practically an American institution. One of the very first Bartenders to popularise the cocktail was Jerry Thomas, Americas original "Celebrity Bartender". Thomas wrote what is widely considered as one of the first books to contain cocktail recipes, "The Bartenders Guide". When I first came across this little volume (last published in 1887) in a dusty old book shop I was blown away. Here at last was cocktail history laid bare! I bought it on the spot and literally sat up all night and read the book cover to cover. For anyone with even a flicker of interest in cocktails and drinks its an enthralling read. Jerry Thomas is to cocktail culture what Louis Armstrong is to Jazz! Here at last, set down on paper, were some of the very first cocktail recipes ever recorded. It was amazing, but it wasn't just cocktails, the book contained a host of other recipes, for "Punch, Egg Nogs, Juleps, Smashs, Cobblers, Mulls, Sangarees, Toddies, Slings, Sours, Flips, Negus, Shrubs, Pousse Caf