Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/807384
72 / the tasting panel / april 2017 COCKTAIL HISTORY T hese three things will forever be connected in the history of the cocktail: Ernest Hemingway, a Daiquiri and Cuba. And there's no one better versed in the intersection of these three topics than Philip Green, author of To Have and Have Another: A Hemingway Cocktail Companion. Green will be speaking about Cuba's place in the history of the cocktail during a seminar hosted by the National Archives Foundation. We'll be covering that story in the May issue, but here's what Philip has to say about the importance of Cuba's place in cocktail history. Why is Cuba such an important part of American cocktail history? Beginning after the Spanish American War in 1898, Americans embraced Cuba as a winter playground. This really ramped up during Prohibition, because people realized that this was a place to drink legally; it became the Paris of the Antilles. Who are some of the key players in the history of the Cuban cocktail, and what can modern day bartenders learn from them? People like José Abeal y Otero, who was the founder of Sloppy Joe's Havana, Constante Ribalaigua Vert, owner/ Head Bartender of the Bar la Florida, aka The Floridita and Eddie Wolke, an American bartender who came to Cuba during Prohibition. These were great bartenders who were doing great things in the 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s. Learn from the masters. It's not just a matter of learning how to make a good Mojito or Daiquiri. There's so much more to the craft, and the folklore and the sense of place that needs to be celebrated. With travel restrictions lifted for U.S. citizens to visit Cuba, what does the future of the Cuban American cocktail culture look like? If the United States can have a warming, healthy economic relationship with Cuba, a rising tide will raise all boats. There are great rum brands, great food and drink on the island that have been taboo for so long for so many Americans. The future is still unwritten for Cuba! A Farewell to Embargo THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES FOUNDATION TURNS TO COCKTAIL EXPERT PHILIP GREEN TO UNDERSTAND CUBA AND THE COCKTAIL by Rachel Burkons Calling all Spirit Brands! We want to See YOUR American Cocktail! The Tasting P anel and the National Archives Foundation are partnering for the second annual Spirited Republic Cocktail Competition, which will pit some of the nation's top bartenders against each other in a head-to-head competition! Join us in Washington D.C. on June 29th for a one of a kind competition that celebrates spirit from all over the globe in classic American cocktails. For more information, please email RBurkons@TastingPanelMag.com. Author Philip Green wrote To Have and Have Another: A Hemingway Cocktail Companion.