Quakers have an interesting relationship with drink. The foundation of Quakerism involved the abandonment of wine as a sacrament. During the 19th century, Quakers would be prominent Temperance advocates. They even pushed hot chocolate and root beer as sober alternatives. Today, some Quakers may drink, but always moderately.
The history of distillation in New York’s capital region is complicated. The first distillery was opened by a Dutch family to serve British soldiers rum who were occupying the city. Eventually, the rye from New York’s farmland converted the city to whiskey. Today, Albany Distilling Co. tries to reimagine this history with whiskey, rum, and brandy.
It’s a nerdy party trick to know your wine based on taste alone, but what about knowing the vine based only on the leaf? This is the obscure and necessary science of ampelography. Identifying particular varieties of grapes is vital in protecting vineyards from diseases and optimizing output.
Don’t drink cologne! Just know that other people used to. In fact, the original eau de cologne was sold as a medicine to be ingested. Throughout the history of modern toilet waters, Europeans and Americans have drank them for medicinal, cosmetic, and intoxicating effects. From freshening the breath, to satisfying an addiction on a budget, toilet waters have a long history as a drink.
Mandrake is notorious, but not well known for its use in beverages. The root was a staple in ancient medicine and medieval witchcraft, but is rarely used today. In many instances of its use, it was consumed as a drink. From the juice of its root, to wine infused with its bark, to tea made from its leaves, this magical plant has imparted its chemicals to humans in a variety of beverages.
Vodka is not always made from potatoes. Europeans in Germany, Poland, and Russia began to ferment the tubers and distill them into vodka during the 19th century. Potatoes, however, originally come from South America where indigenous peoples have long made alcoholic chicha from a variety of plants including tubers. Did they distill potatoes? Some evidence suggests they were the first to make a rudimentary potato spirit.
Cafe’s close well before dessert time, but that doesn’t stop them from serving ice cream. It stays rooted in the morning tradition with a shot of espresso. This is the affogato. A classic Italian mix of espresso and dairy. It is a treat of many contrasts.
Prohibition resulted from the Christian Temperance Movement trying to force others to stop drinking. In more ancient times, the opposite happened. The Christian Emperor Theodosius the Great accused certain Christian fringe groups who abstained from wine of heresy. For their abstinence, they were threatened with execution.
Beef Tea. Perhaps an idea that has never crossed your mind, but also a familiar pantry item. Doctors during the 1800s regularly gave patients beef tea, an infusion of water, beef, and salt. The drink was supposed to help sick patients recover and eventually opened the market to a variety of “meat extract” products for the health. In reality, it was just a kind of beef broth.
Vodka is at home in Poland. The drink dates back to the 13th century when doctors introduced it to the Polish people. Since that time, strong spirits infused with herbs and fruit have had a medicinal quality in Polish culture. Nalewka, the name for vodka infusions, is both a sweet drink and a traditional medicine.
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