Post #282639 by arriano on Fri, Feb 2, 2007 9:19 AM

That's pretty impressive detective work. I think it's somewhat amazing that any drinks of the 1910s-1920s retained even a passing resemblance as time went on considering primitive communication and long distance. For instance, I can picture someone in a San Francisco bar being asked to make a "Bacardi Cocktail" that the customer had in Cuba and being told it was "sweet and tart." The bartender would do his best to come up with something the customer would like -- without the benefit of easily obtainable bartender guides, the Internet, etc.

That's why we have so many variations on mai tais, zombies, etc etc. Bartenders tried to supply the demand the best they could at the time.