5 cocktail stories for successful storytelling

Cocktails are the best allies of summer evenings and margins for restaurateurs. More than just sweet, boozy recipes, there are surprising anecdotes behind some of this summer's hottest cocktails.

The ambient heat and the gentle pace of life that accompanies it encourage more than one lucky holidaymaker or brave worker to settle down on a terrace at the end of the day to drink a beer or sip a refreshing cocktail. But do you know the little forgotten stories behind these sweet drinks? We'll tell you right here:

Cocktails, a mongrel origin

"Cocktail. We know the term by heart, but have you ever wondered about its origins? Well, you should know that its first use in France dates back to the mid-18th century, andhas little to do with any drink whatsoever. Le Figaro explains that the term comes from the Anglo-American "cocktailed", which at the time referred to the cutting of certain draft horse muscles so that their tails rose upwards (giving them the appearance of a cock's tail). This brutal operation was intended to differentiate bastard horses from pedigree horses, which were lucky enough to escape it.one thing leading to another, the expression slipped from the animal realm into the human domain: it was then used to designate promiscuous men. Now that we know where the term cocktail comes from, let's discover the stories behind this summer's hottest drinks.

Cocktail stories

1. Moscow Mule, the anti-crisis recipe

Don't know what a Moscow Mule is yet? Well, it's one of the most popular cocktails in recent months. Traditionally composed of vodka, soda, ginger and lime, this cocktail is most often served in a bougrement instagrammable copper mug... (if you're in need of some tips for managing your Instagram account, we explain here how to take successful photos).

Born in 1941 in the United States, the Moscow Mule was the result of a meeting between two men: one representing the Smirnoff brand of vodka, the other a brand of ginger beer. Prohibition was just coming to an end, and vodka had just made its appearance on the other side of the Pacific, but was struggling to find its audience on American soil. Like the Russian drink, ginger beer was also shunned by consumers.Fearing that their respective companies would soon go bankrupt, the two manufacturers decided to join forces, and had the brilliant idea of blending their products to develop an original drink. The Moscow Mule was born!Its winning recipe: For one glass of Moscow Mule :

• 4cl vodka
• 1/2 fresh lime
• 15cl ginger beer
• Crushed ice
• Fresh ginger

Pour the lime juice and vodka into a tall glass filled with ice cubes. Fill the rest of the glass with ginger beer. Stir with a long spoon for 10 seconds and serve immediately. All that's left is to garnish your glass with a slice of lime.

2. Bloody Mary: the alloy that's good for the home

The great Ernest Hemingway is said to be the inventor of this tomato cocktail. The writer's (over)heavy drinking particularly irritated his wife, leading to numerous arguments within the household. Hemingway would have liked to put an end to these recurring quarrels... without putting an end to his consumption of alcoholic beverages! So he asked a bartender at the Ritz to concoct an odorless cocktail so as not to arouse the suspicions of his wife, Mary Welsh.

While it's not known whether the deception worked and put an end to their marital squabbles, the name of the cocktail is attributed to the wise Mary, also nicknamed "Bloody Mary!" by her poet husband.Her winning recipe:For a glass of Bloody Mary:

• 4 cl vodka
• 12 cl tomato juice
• 0.5 cl lemon juice
• 2 to 4 drops of Tabasco
• Celery salt
• Salt & pepper

In a glass, simply add the ingredients and two ice cubes, then salt and pepper to taste. Stir and you're ready to go!

3. Cosmopolitan, New York's most shameful cocktail party

The creator of the Cosmo has the (rare) merit of still being alive and talking about his creation! Unfortunately, Toby Cecchini avoids talking about it... The father of the Cosmopolitan even took years to admit his paternity.

He sayshe still sometimes apologizes to his fellow bartenders for inventing this girly drink. " You! You invented the Cosmopolitan, asshole! " he admits to hearing regularly. As far as they're concerned, the Cosmo isn't a sophisticated cocktail at all: it's simply a blend of two artificial ingredients, flavored vodka and cranberry juice. Yet New York Times cocktail guru Robert Simonson believes that Cosmopolitan has made cocktails fashionable again. Much to the dismay of bartenders, the Cosmo has become one of the most fashionable drinks in Manhattan. So how do we explain the dazzling success of a cocktail considered by professionals to be of low quality?

By Carrie Bradshow, Samantha Jones, Charlotte York and Miranda Jones! Remember, the four Sex And The City heroines drank Cosmos all the time. Associated with the trendiest New Yorkers, this girly pink cocktail has entered the pop culture pantheon alongside the cult series!

His winning recipe:

• 4 cl vodka
• 1.5 cl Cointreau
• 3 cl cranberry juice
• 0.5 cl lime juice

As you can imagine, the recipe is very simple: put all the ingredients in a shaker with a few ice cubes, shake vigorously, and strain the mixture into a cocktail glass.

4. Spritz, the most Austrian of Italian drinks

Have you ever wondered why this cocktail of Italian origin has such a barbaric name? Spritz... It's a far cry from the sweet, lilting sounds to which our neighbor to the south has accustomed us. And with good reason! Spritz was invented in Italy by... Austrians! The cocktail's origins actually date back to the 19th century, when Venice was invaded by soldiers from the Austrian Empire.

And it's fair to say that the Italians couldn't have come up with the idea behind the Spritz. The soldiers, finding Italian wine too strong for their taste, decided to sweeten it by cutting it with soda water. In fact, the cocktail's name derives from this specifically Austrian request: the soldiers would intone the verb "spritzen", German for "sprinkle", so that the bartender's hand would be heavy with water. A little later, the Italians took their revenge and imposed their signature by adding Campari or Aperol to the Spritz recipe and replacing the white wine with Prosecco.Its winning recipe:It's said that every bartender in Venice has his or her own Spritz recipe... However, we recommend :

• 6cl Prosecco,
• 4cl Aperol,
• 1 dash sparkling water

Place the ice cubes in a stemmed glass with half an orange slice. Pour in the Apérol or Campari, then the Prosecco and finally the dash of sparkling water. Dip a spoon into the bottom of the glass to gently bring up the Apérol or Campari. That's all there is to it.

5. Gin and tonic, the life saver

"He saved more English lives and souls than all the doctors of the Empire. Winston Churchill said it. And he wasn't talking about some national hero, scientist or politician. He was talking about... Gin Tonic!

Yes, this timeless cocktail, whose slight bitterness we all know, is composed of quinine, which has malaria-preventing properties. In the 1840s, the British in India consumed an average of 700 tons of quiquina a year! To make the drug less bitter and more palatable, consumers took to diluting it with water, sugar and gin. It wasn't until 15 years later that a merchant came up with the idea of marketing this fizzy drink, and transforming the drug into a beverage that is now a staple of our evenings!His winning recipe:

• 3 cl Gin
• Schweppes Tonic

While there's no need for us to explain how to mix these two ingredients, we can tell you that the Gin Tonic can now be enjoyed with a few ice cubes and a squeeze of lemon for added freshness.Here's to your health!All cocktails are also available in a Virgin version... We leave it to you to choose your side. Don't hesitate to contact us!