Cocktail Hour by Susan Campbell On this happy island every hour is happy hour! But there’s a time of day when the vibe begins slowly switching gears from fabulous fun on the beach to the first glimmerings of an enchanted tropical evening to come. And the best way to herald that magical transformation is by raising a glass in good company. Welcome to the cocktail hour – Aruba style.
A little cocktail hour history
No doubt even the ancient pyramid builders must have had social get-togethers to raise a glass and shake off the trials of a hard day’s work. In fact, there are even forensic mixologists (yes, that’s a real job!) working to unearth exactly what kind of alcoholic libations the early Romans and Greeks were imbibing back then. But the coining of the term “cocktail hour” came much later. Today that expression evokes a civilized and sophisticated tippling time with ladies and gentlemen dressed to the nines socializing in some upscale setting. Even Christian Dior labeled classic designs “the cocktail dress”. But one might be surprised to discover that the origins of “cocktails” and the gatherings where they were consumed were of much grittier and far less merrier beginnings. It was a time of bootleggers, rum runners, and gangsters when the cocktail really came into its own. Prohibition that began in the 1920s forced many Americans to make their own spirits that resulted in alcohol that tasted more like turpentine and packed a punch more powerful than a freight train. So in order to make it more palatable, juices, creams, sweeteners, and mixes were added ostensibly creating a “cocktail culture”. Though the first appearance of the word cocktail in print was a New York newspaper in 1896, the socializing cachet surrounding its consumption came much later.
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Forced to drink underground during that time, secret liquor dens began opening that became known as “speakeasies”. The term is thought to have come from bartenders advising their clients to keep their voices down or “speak easy” so as not to be heard by authorities. Though later those establishments became loud and deluxe entertainment venues ushering in modern music and also encouraging women to become modern and partake of cocktails alongside the men. It’s ironic that prohibition – though designed to stop people from drinking – instead, became the impetus behind today’s sophisticated cocktail culture! Cocktail hour Caribbean style
The islands have always had their own less formal version of cocktail hour, rarely taking place in plush old-fashioned parlors, but rather preferring nature’s glory instead as a backdrop, enjoying drinks on seaside terraces, outside garden patios, and piers. But that has also changed in the last few decades. Today there are many classy indoor enclaves like hotel lobby lounges and dining emporium cocktail bars for indoor imbibing. So if you wish to get gussied up and enjoy the transition in high style and with air conditioning, there are plenty of places on Aruba to do so. Many local business types prefer the downtown indoor watering holes for an after work get-together at cocktail hour. E
Photo by Nadya Lukic
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