Poole’s | A Cocktail For Every Era
Turning Back The Clock
Although the season may be springing us ahead, at Poole’s Diner we’ve decided to go back in time. Regarding cocktails, that is. It’s always fun and exciting to craft new cocktails, but there’s something truly comforting in the classics… at least we think so.
Our new seasonal cocktail menu features drinks through the ages, from eras like the Prohibition Age, Disco Tec, and Tiki Age. There’s a story behind each cocktail, and we thought we’d give you a behind-the-scenes look at our selections:
Antibes, a town along the French Riviera between Cannes and Nice, was briefly the home of F. Scott Fitzgerald and the namesake of our first drink. This Prohibition Era drink with gin, Benedictine, and grapefruit juice, was said to be a drink that Fitzgerald served guests at this home, including Hemingway and Picasso.
The Vieux Carre was created by Walter Bergeron at the Hotel Monteleone in New Orleans. His hotel was often the venue for the city’s annual Tales Of The Cocktail festival. This classic drink’s name translates to “Old Square” and references the hotel’s location within the French Quarter of the historic city.
Created by London bartender Dick Bradsell in the 1980's, Russian Spring Punch was a cocktail he created while trying to save money for a party he was hosting. This Disco Era cocktail is made up of of vodka, lemon juice, simple syrup, creme de cassis, and sparkling wine; though Bradsell had his guests provide their own sparkling wine for the original version of the beverage.
The Americano, by Gaspare Campari, was originally named Milano-Torino to identify Campari and Sweet Vermouth and hails from the Pre-Prohibition Era. This cocktail gained its new name after Primo Carnera, an Italian boxer, became the first non-American to win the US heavyweight boxing championship.
Pimm’s Cup, another Pre-Prohibition Era cocktail, has become the official drink every year at Wimbledon. The most basic version of the cocktail is Pimm’s, a slice of cucumber and lemon-lime soda, however many decide to spice up the cocktail by adding seasonal fruits and different mixers.
The Pina Colada, from the Tiki Age, has several different variations, and several different origins. The earliest mention of the cocktail salutes a 19th century Puerto Rican pirate as the creator; who gave the drink to his men to lift their spirits. The modern Pina Colada is said to be the creation of a bartender at Caribe Hilton’s Beachcomber, while the blended version of the drink was said to be the creation of Spanish bartender, working at Restaurant Barrachina in Buenos Aires.
Another Prohibition Era cocktail Horse’s Neck, was originally intended to be a non-alcoholic beverage, but became a classic cocktail when a heavy pour of bourbon was added to the glass. This drink gets its name from its garnish, an extra long lemon twist that acts as the “horse’s neck”.
Our last cocktail hails from the Modern Age. The Naked and Famous is a mezcal fueled, modern day variation of “The Last Word”, a cocktail created by bartender Joaquin Simo while working at Death & Co. in New York City.
Try one, try all, this season.