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What is the first thing you think of when you think of the US? Chances are, you didn’t think of any drinks. However, the country is home to many delicious drinks, and this article will cover a bunch of them.
Drink #1: Boston Cooler
Boston cooler is a drink that, despite its name, originated in Detroit, Michigan. Initially, it was a cocktail made with lime, rum, and soda water that was invented in the 19th century. However, it changed into a sweet, creamy drink with no alcohol in it, consisting of Vernors, “a type of ginger ale,” and vanilla-flavored ice cream. Boston cooler is made by blending the Vernors and ice cream together until the drink has a similar consistency to a milkshake. The source of the Boston cooler’s name is unclear. It is either named after Boston Boulevard or the neighborhood of Boston-Edison, both of which are located in Detroit. If you want to make your own Boston cooler, you can follow this recipe created by Allrecipes user Seattle Dad.
Drink #2: Horsefeather
Horsefeather is an alcoholic beverage from either Kansas City or Lawrence in the 19th century. Both are cities found in Kansas. According to Taste Atlas, it “is a cocktail consisting of rye whiskey, Angostura, lemon juice (sometimes only lemon zest), and typically ginger beer.” Its ingredients are typically poured into a glass containing ice and then mixed until chilled. Taste Atlas explains that “The drink is served in a highball.” If you want to try this drink for yourself, use this recipe by Emily Farris.
Drink #3: Chicory Coffee
Chicory coffee is a coffee substitute originating in New Orleans, Louisiana. It was invented out of necessity during the American Civil War. Before the war, coffee was very popular in the city and was imported from other parts of the world. However, during the war, the city was cut off from any ships that could arrive at its ports. According to Kimmie Tubré, “Desperate for coffee that they could not obtain, locals began to experiment with several natural products to create the taste [of coffee]…they eventually adapted chicory as an almost perfect substitute for coffee.” Ever since then, chicory coffee has often been drunk during coffee shortages and economic hardship. It has become a staple in the city. If you want to make your own chicory coffee, use this recipe by Kate MacDonnell.
Drink #4: Hurricane
According to Taste Atlas, “Hurricane is a sweet cocktail originating from New Orleans. It is prepared with a combination of rum, lemon juice, and passion fruit syrup. In order to prepare it, all ingredients are shaken with ice, then strained into a glass filled with ice.” This cocktail is typically served in plastic cups as it is popular in New Orleans, Louisiana, and drinking alcohol in glass cups in public is illegal in the city. The first version of the drink was served at the 1939 New York World’s Fair in New York, New York. If you want to create your own hurricane, you can use this recipe by Lori Lange.
Drink #5: Coffee Milk
Despite its name, coffee milk is not a mix of coffee and milk. Rather, it “is a combination of milk and sweet coffee syrup.” Coffee milk was created by members of the Italian diaspora living in Rhode Island. According to Atlas Obscura user paulamejia, “It was sweet, slightly bitter, and especially heavy on the milk. In the 1930s, diner and drugstore owners started mixing leftover coffee grounds with milk and sugar. As time passed, it became less coffee with milk and sugar and more milk and sugar with a dash of coffee.” That same decade, Eclipse and Autocrat, two companies based in Rhode Island, started selling coffee milk syrup. Autocrat Syrup is currently the syrup most often used in coffee milk. The beverage became the official state drink of Rhode Island in 1993. The beverage is usually drunk and made both at home and in restaurants. If you want to make your own coffee milk, you can use this recipe by Fred Decker.
Drink #6: Ramos Gin Fizz
Ramos gin fizz is a “cocktail made with a combination of gin, sugar syrup, lime juice, lemon juice, cream, egg whites, orange flower water, vanilla extract, and soda water.” To make it, every ingredient, with the exception of soda, is put in a mixing glass. Afterwards, the drink is dry shaken with no ice for two minutes. According to Taste Atlas, “Ice is then added to the combination, and the cocktail is hard shaken for an additional minute. The cocktail should be strained into a highball glass without ice, then topped with soda.” It can be garnished with lemon and orange slices. The Ramos Gin Fizz is typically disliked by bartenders due to the amount of dry shaking required to make it. It was invented in 1888 by Henry C. Ramos, who served the drink “at the Imperial Cabinet Saloon in New Orleans.” If you want to try it for yourself, use this recipe by Darcy O’Neil.
Drink #7: Date Shake
A date shake is “ A blend of simple vanilla ice cream, milk, and dates — sometimes in a dried, crystalline form.” Some people add nut butter or walnuts to make the drink thicker and more flavorful. Some people add bananas or protein and replace the ice cream with yogurt to create “a breakfast smoothie.” It is sometimes seasoned with cinnamon, salt, or cayenne. It is popular in Palm Springs, California.
The date shake was invented in Palm Springs in 1930 by Russell Nicoll, a date shop owner. The beverage became popular in the area as an alternative to alcoholic drinks, which wereillegal in the US at the time. In 1936, date crystals, “a powdered date sugar,” made preparing the drink easier. If you want to try drinking one, you can try this recipe by Rawaan Alkhatjib.
Drink #8: Alabama Slammer
According to Taste Atlas, the “Alabama Slammer is an American cocktail made with a combination of amaretto, sloe gin, Southern Comfort, and orange juice. The ingredients are shaken with ice, then strained into a highball glass filled with fresh ice.” A cherry and an orange wheel are typically added as a garnish.
The Alabama Slammer is believed to have been invented sometime during the late 1960s-early 1970s at the University of Alabama. The first written recipe for the drink was in 1971 in an edition of Playboy Bartender’s Guide, which was written by Thomas Mario. It was initially created with lemon juice, but that was swapped out with orange juice during the 1970s. Long drinks that contained orange juice were popular at the time, and orange juice was contained in more manageable packages. In addition, the drink was initially served as a shot, but became a long drink over time. It was especially popular at bars in the 1970s and 1980s. If you want to make an Alabama Slammer, you can use this recipe by Cathy Trochelman.