December 18, 2008

Small and Large Drinks


"As for France, it seems that the cocktail made its first appearance with the Anglo-American bars shortly after the exhibition of 1889. Column talks about it and newspapers are aware of it. Alphonse Allais is prompt to stuff his tales with those new beverage names which have then all the flavour of novelty : Sherry Cobbler, Mint Julep, pick-me-up, prairie oyster, etc. "

Petits et Grands Verres (Small and Large drinks), published in 1927, offers a choice of the best cocktail recipes, sometimes with fanciful names which titillate imagination and taste buds. The 10 engravings by Jean-Emile Laboureur, who illustrates the book, highlight the delicate etiquette of the manners at the time.

Currently, the librairie Loliée offers :
  • Laboureur (J.-E.). Petits et Grands Verres. Choix des meilleurs cocktails. Recueillis par Nina Toye et A.-H. Adair et mis en français par Ph. Le Huby. 10 gravures de J.-E. Laboureur. Paris, Au Sans Pareil, 1927, in-4. 10 original and full-page ethcings by Laboureur. Limited to 270 copies, this one on vellum paper.