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.
Drinks come in all shapes and sizes, at least when you pour them into different cups. Pulque is no exception. The Mexican booze has evolved through many centuries of drinking culture. In the earliest eras, pulque was consumed out of natural materials like gourds or leaves. Under the Aztecs, clay vessel were used in ritual contexts. Modern Mexico used an abundance of different glass vessels, all of varying shape, size, and style.
Some have heard about dandelion wine. It is the drink of old-timey rural communities. During the 1800s, dandelion wine was not alone. Americans made wines from a wide array of flowers, berries, and herbs to be enjoyed in winter months and consumed during sickness. By the 20th century, these wines were already becoming cultural artifacts and Prohibition did not help
Cassava is a common crop with a curious secret. It is full of cyanide. Raw cassava can kill adult humans, but modern and traditional processing techniques make the tuber edible. In the case of Amazonian people, fermentation makes cassava drinkable. Slightly alcoholic beers made from the root are common across the Amazon Basin.
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.
Lemonade, a classic American taste of both summer and entrepreneurship. It is only suitable that America’s oldest park, the Boston Common, welcomes business owners who endeavor to sell lemonade to visitors. Lemonade has long been sold in the park, and today, the vendors offer a diversity of flavor and experience.
No one blinks an eye at the thought of scooping sugar into a cup of tea, but what of the other common pantry powder? Salt was the original addition to tea during China’s Tang Dynasty. The flavoring is even mentioned in the world’s first book on tea. Today, salt is still added to tea in Tibet and Kashmir.
Albany, New York was once the brewing capital of America. In the early 1800s, a libel law suit brought this brewing industry into the public eye. The threads of brewing, temperance, and food sanitation collided, but the brewers got the short end of the stick. Nevertheless, the case was an early example of public advocacy for food safety.
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