Despite the famously repeated New York legend that the egg cream never contained eggs or cream, the historical record proves otherwise. In fact, there can be no question. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, long before it evolved into today’s iconic mix of milk, seltzer, and chocolate syrup, the original egg cream absolutely … Read more
In this age of retroactive cynicism, a popular narrative has taken hold that Patrón tequila is little more than an elaborate marketing scam. The story usually goes that two American entrepreneurs put average, cheap liquor in a hand-blown bottle, gave it a $40 price tag, and scammed the public into believing they were drinking a … Read more
It’s one of the most famous tea blends in the world. It’s also one of the most prestigious. Yet, the origin of Earl Grey tea is murky and subject to myth and storytelling. It’s history is shrouded by competing corporate claims and fanciful tales of appreciate Asians. Even its signature flavoring, bergamot, is open to … Read more
Take a sip of an imported green-bottled Heineken in the United States, and you might immediately notice a sharp, pungent, sulfurous odor. For decades, this distinct aroma has left beer drinkers split into two distinct camps: The short answer? You aren’t imagining it, and the beer isn’t a bad batch. What you are smelling and … Read more
Order a Corona in an American bar or backyard barbecue, and the bottle arrives with a lime wedge wedged into the neck, often whether you asked for it or not. Over the decades, that single habit became so ubiquitous that it blurred into an entire cultural assumption: people assume Mexican beer, by definition, comes with … Read more
Fireball Cinnamon Whisky is a confusing beverage. I’ll admit I was confused until I started looking into the details for the collective outrage and even panic over this whiskey (or is it schnapps?) drink marketed by Sazerac. It’s one heck of an infamous party shot and it has driven a flurry of viral video headlines … Read more