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Americas First Celebrity Bartender

The cocktail is practically an AmericanParis. He took with him a set of solid silver
institution. One of the very first Bartendersbar utensils constructed at a cost of $4,000!
to popularise the cocktail was Jerry Thomas,
Americas original "Celebrity Bartender".Returning to New York Thomas became the
Thomas wrote what is widely considered as oneprincipal bartender at the Metropolitan
of the first books to contain cocktailhotel. Then in 1866 he opened his most famous
recipes,  "The  Bartenders  Guide".bar located on Broadway between 21st and 22nd
Streets.
When I first came across this little volume
(last published in 1887) in a dusty old bookThomas was "an imposing and lordly figure of
shop I was blown away. Here at last wasa man, portly, sleek and jovial, yet
cocktail history laid bare! I bought it onpossessed of immense dignity". His trade mark
the spot and literally sat up all night andwas a "jacket of pure and spotless white
read the book cover to cover. For anyone withwhich encased his great bulk". He also
even a flicker of interest in cocktails andsported a huge moustache, in the Walrus
drinks its an enthralling read. Jerry Thomasstyle! Obviously a man once seen, not easily
is to cocktail culture what Louis Armstrongforgotten!
is  to  Jazz!
The various saloons he operated became
Here at last, set down on paper, were some ofshowplaces where he demonstrated his
the very first cocktail recipes evermixologist's art. They were very popular with
recorded. It was amazing, but it wasn't justthe sporting and theatrical celebrities of
cocktails, the book contained a host of otherthe day. To quote the New York times on his
recipes, for "Punch, Egg Nogs, Juleps,death in 1885 he was "at one time better
Smashs, Cobblers, Mulls, Sangarees, Toddies,known to club men and men about town than any
Slings, Sours, Flips, Negus, Shrubs, Pousseother bartender in the city, and he was very
Café,  Cups"  and  many,  many  more.popular  among  all  classes".
In total there were some 230+ originalHe is credited with inventing the "Blue
recipes. Some were famous, some I'd neverBlazer" and the "Tom and Jerry" and certainly
even heard of! They represented an amazingpopularised many other early cocktails and
cross-section of exciting and wonderfuldrinks. In reference to the Blue Blazer the
drinks.Bartenders Guide says, "The novice in mixing
this beverage should be careful not to scald
Jeremiah P. Thomas was born in Jeffersonhimself. To become proficient in throwing the
County, New York in November 1830 and firstliquid from one mug to the other, it will be
learned the bartending trade in New Haven. Henecessary to practise for some time with cold
then went to San Francisco and the Californiawater."
gold  fields.
Thomas's book was first published in 1862,
In 1851 he opened the first of four saloonsand quickly went through half a dozen
in New York, below Barnum's Museum atprintings. The book was updated in 1876 and
Broadway and Ann Street. He then seems tothe final edition published in 1887. In the
have travel around the US for several years.first edition there were ten recipes which
Working as head bartender at top hotels inThomas referred to as cocktails (by the 1887
St. Louis, Chicago, San Francisco,edition the cocktails numbered some 20+). His
Charleston, S.C., and New Orleans. Slowlybook was probably the first to include actual
turning himself into Americas first celebrityrecipes for cocktails and certainly the
bartender! In 1859 he visited London andworld's first bartender's guide.



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