Did the El Draque Cocktail Change Naval History and the History of England

In 1586, the vast fleet of Sir Francis Drake indifferent lots of Spanish proceeds and wreaked damage. One more attack was planned ( a ' Spanish ' town called Havana ) later which the fleet would return to England. However there was an epidemic on - board the ships and the male were in no fit constitution for molecule fighting and the fleet went into hiding on the June 4th. It was avowed that medicines based on aquardiente de cana could be used for dysentery and Richard Drake therefore made a medicine using aguardiente de cana, mint, limes and sugarcane extract to help it more appetizing. In South America, mint is recognized as hierbabuena, literally, good herb. A search on the internet finds that when the bark of the chuchuhuasi tree is soaked in aguardiente ( sometimes spelt aquardiente ), its properties number among being an resisting dysenteric ( for treating dysentery ), digestive yen and febrifuge ( used to treat fever ).

Scurvy is a vitamin C want, and would have been cured by drinking lime juice. In the 1700 ' s English sailors were called limeys, because of the use of limes in their rations. Proof that this medicinal mix ( later called El Draque ) worked is that it was taken during cholera epidemics. In one of the worst cholera epidemics to affect Havana ' s population, Ramon de Paula says: " Every day at eleven in the morning, I consume a little Draque made from aquardiente and I am doing very well. This medicinal mix was administered to the sailors of Drakes fleet using a large wooden spoon with a cocks tail handle. This is thought to be where the name El Draque cocktail came from. The cure worked, the fleet raided one last place, St Augustine ' s watchtower and then returned home.

What would have happened if this remedy had not worked? If the epidemic had not been stopped it would have killed many of the sailors on the ships. During the American Civil War, dysentery caused more deaths of Union soldiers than the Confederacy did.

Scurvy is a vitamin C deficiency and would have been cured by drinking lime juice. In the 17th century limes and a tot of rum were regular rations for the British Navy, which is why sailors were called Limeys. On a long voyage, scurvy was a killer. Magellan, for example, lost eighty percent of the sailors on his Pacific voyage, survivors described how they had to keep slicing the swollen tissue away off their gums in order to be able to chew their rations. Descriptions of scurvy - afflicted explorers are absolutely awful. A French translation written in 1613 says " There developed in the mouths of those who had it, large pieces of excess fungus flesh which caused a great rot. Their teeth barely held in place, and could be removed with the fingers without causing pain. Later, severe pain developed in the legs and arms, which became very hard, swollen and covered with spots like fleabites. Consequently, they had almost no strength and suffered unbearable pain. They also had severe cramps in the stomach, loins and bowels, as well as with a very bad cough and shortness of breath. Unfortunately, we could find no remedy with which to cure these symptoms ". ( Samuel de Champlain, 1613 ) From vol. 1 of Champlain Society ' s 1971 ed., of Champlain ' s 1613 ed., Voyages du Sieur de Champlain

Conclusion: Had the epidemic not been stopped, then possibly the fleet would have had to come out of hiding in weakened condition, and might never have been able to make. There are a number of scenarios all of which would have caused the loss of the fleet. This would have led to the subsequent success of the Spanish Armada two years later, and the fall on England to the Spanish. The authentic Drakes cocktail ( El Draque ) can still be found in a ' bar battersea ' called the SugarCane, near the site of the old Tudor shipbuilding yard by the River Thames.

A former University lecturer and technical writer for over 20 years. A place that has the El Draque cocktail is The SugarCane bar in Clapham Junction

A Quick History Of Cocktail Glasses

Cocktail glasses have a short but colorful history. Created to serve martinis in, they became a hallmark of speak easies and next for anyone effecting stylish tastes, especially during the 1960 ' s. These glasses have since become part of part decent bar. Strictly speech, the martini glass is a subset of cocktail glasses, as the bowl is more tapered than others in the alike clique, commensurate though they can be used somewhat interchangeably.

The design of the glass itself is fully functional. They are used to serve chilled perfumed drinks. The wide v - shaped design allows for the sniffing of its haul wayward needing to make it self-evident. The tapered design is uttered to keep the ingredients from separating, allowing the martini to keep its particular bouquet longer. Some, of course, note that the wide mouth allowed Prohibition drinkers to quickly dump the contents, but those claims remain unsubstantiated. The standard size is 4. 5 ounces, even though six ounce, 7. 5 ounce, and twelve ounce sizes are also popular.

The long stem allows for it to be held without warm hands touching the bowl and thus warming the contents. This allows for it to be served chilled without ice and maintain that temperature for a reasonably long period of time, at least compared to other glasses. Some stems are decorated with angular cut gemstones; these " pillar stems " are becoming more popular.

Vizovice, in the Czech Republic, is arguably the home of the best known cocktail glasses. However, the glasses can come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and styles, as the basic form allows for all manner of permutations. There have even been competitions to create the most interesting glass, such as Mia Fierra Wiesenthal ' s winning stemless entry for a Sapphire Bombay contest.

The oldest legend has the drink named after the site a prospector was going to: a strike in Martinez in the California Bay Area. Jerry Thomas, a bartender at the Occidental Hotel, made the drink for the price of a gold nugget in 1850 by combining an ounce of Old Tom gin, a dash of bitters, two dashes of maraschino liquor and some vermouth. Obviously he didn ' t have the right glass, as the martini glass hadn ' t been invented yet. Other tales keep it in Martinez, and there is a New York version dating to 1912, and another has it named after a rifle due to its kick.

Regardless of how it came to be, the martini did show up in a bartender ' s guide in 1887, and has been enjoyed since then. The glasses just add a certain degree of style to that simple drink, allowing it to be nursed for a long time. Regardless of what one puts into it, it is still a nice drink to mix in with company.

Did the El Draque Cocktail Change Naval History and the History of England

In 1586, the mammoth fleet of Sir Francis Drake unemotional lots of Spanish return and wreaked ruination. One more invasion was planned ( a ' Spanish ' hangout called Havana ) adjoining which the fleet would return to England. However masterly was an epidemic on - board the ships and the men were in no fit character for measure fighting and the fleet went into hiding on the June 4th. It was published that medicines based on aquardiente de cana could be used for dysentery and Richard Drake then made a medicine using aguardiente de cana, mint, limes and sugarcane extract to cooperation it more luscious. In South America, mint is admitted as hierbabuena, literally, great herb. A search on the internet finds that when the bark of the chuchuhuasi tree is soaked in aguardiente ( sometimes spelt aquardiente ), its properties entail being an recusant dysenteric ( for treating dysentery ), digestive appetition and febrifuge ( used to treat fever ).

Scurvy is a vitamin C absence, and would have been cured by drinking lime juice. In the 1700 ' s English sailors were called limeys, because of the use of limes in their rations. Proof that this medicinal mix ( later called El Draque ) worked is that it was taken during cholera epidemics. In one of the worst cholera epidemics to affect Havana ' s population, Ramon de Paula says: " Every day at eleven in the morning, I consume a little Draque made from aquardiente and I am doing very well. This medicinal mix was administered to the sailors of Drakes fleet using a large wooden spoon with a cocks tail handle. This is thought to be where the name El Draque cocktail came from. The cure worked, the fleet raided one last place, St Augustine ' s watchtower and then returned home.

What would have happened if this remedy had not worked? If the epidemic had not been stopped it would have killed many of the sailors on the ships. During the American Civil War, dysentery caused more deaths of Union soldiers than the Confederacy did.

Scurvy is a vitamin C deficiency and would have been cured by drinking lime juice. In the 17th century limes and a tot of rum were regular rations for the British Navy, which is why sailors were called Limeys. On a long voyage, scurvy was a killer. Magellan, for example, lost eighty percent of the sailors on his Pacific voyage, survivors described how they had to keep slicing the swollen tissue away off their gums in order to be able to chew their rations. Descriptions of scurvy - afflicted explorers are absolutely awful. A French translation written in 1613 says " There developed in the mouths of those who had it, large pieces of excess fungus flesh which caused a great rot. Their teeth barely held in place, and could be removed with the fingers without causing pain. Later, severe pain developed in the legs and arms, which became very hard, swollen and covered with spots like fleabites. Consequently, they had almost no strength and suffered unbearable pain. They also had severe cramps in the stomach, loins and bowels, as well as with a very bad cough and shortness of breath. Unfortunately, we could find no remedy with which to cure these symptoms ". ( Samuel de Champlain, 1613 ) From vol. 1 of Champlain Society ' s 1971 ed., of Champlain ' s 1613 ed., Voyages du Sieur de Champlain

Conclusion: Had the epidemic not been stopped, then possibly the fleet would have had to come out of hiding in weakened condition, and might never have been able to make. There are a number of scenarios all of which would have caused the loss of the fleet. This would have led to the subsequent success of the Spanish Armada two years later, and the fall on England to the Spanish. The authentic Drakes cocktail ( El Draque ) can still be found in a ' bar battersea ' called the SugarCane, near the site of the old Tudor shipbuilding yard by the River Thames.

A former University lecturer and technical writer for over 20 years. A place that has the El Draque cocktail is The SugarCane bar in Clapham Junction