Happy New Year 2017!

I want to wish each and every one of you the greatest of joy and happiness in the coming year!

Great Western Champagne

I've run across these ads for Great Western Champagne from time to time and I always wanted to see who this vintner was.  I used one of their 1935 ads yesterday and this is another from the same year.  All of their ads are great pieces of the deco art form. 

Save Me a Booth

1963 Booth's High & Dry Gin

1963, the age of "Mad Men" and last bastion of male the male controlled world... at least that's what we like to believe but those of us in the historical "know" realize that women have controlled the world from behind the scenes for thousands of years.  A fight over just one woman's affections led to the Trojan War, and later the fight over the love of Cleopatra was legendary to this day.  So don't tell me that women didn't have the power of life and death in the past.  Cut to the present and it's all about equality... unequal equality and fuzzy math.  I see it in Alaska where I work in the summertime.  See, women work up there which is fine, I'm all about equal opportunity, however don't demand a different set of job requirements "just because you're a woman".  This is neither fair nor equal.  Either you can do the job or you can't, but bending the rules doesn't apply.

I know I'll be lambasted about this in the comments... or maybe not.  I haven't written on the blog in so long I don't think anyone actually reads it anymore.  It doesn't matter, it's Friday and later today I'll be enjoying a Gin Martini on the porch whilst continuing a lecture series on World War I that I've been listening to in my spare time. Enjoy the day and don't take life too seriously, remember "There are many here among us that feel life is but a joke."

Penn Maryland Whiskey

It's kind of a whiskey night tonight well... just because.  I suppose it's because I want to celebrate my promotion at work to Asst. Department Manager but not an over the top celebration.  One whiskey I won't be drinking is the one in the ad above.  Penn Maryland whiskey was one of over 20 different rye whiskeys distilled in Baltimore, Maryland before prohibition.  After prohibition the brand returned but was snatched up by National Brands and disappeared altogether sometime in the 1960's when the taste for rye whiskey was being replaced with bourbon and the vodka crowd.

A Singing Cuba Libre

Apparently in 1937 the singing cocktail was all the rage, or perhaps they were just served with all those musical notes hanging in the air over the glass.  Either way it's rather annoying to me, I like my cocktails quiet because once they start singing to me I know I've had one too many.  At least in 1937 Bacardi was still made in Cuba and had yet to become the shadow of it's former self that is the Puerto Rican incarnation available today.  Tropical was all the rage at this time and tropical drinks pairing pineapple juice and rum were just coming into their own.  Cuba itself was a popular destination for travelers as it was just a short plane or boat ride from Miami and Key West.  Of course politically speaking, Cuba was a mess.  Controlled by a dictator propped up by the Mafia and American businesses it reduced Cuba into little more than a colony of the US 90 miles south of Miami.  So it should come as no surprise when Castro came to power.

Wine and Gluten Intolerance

I'm back, it's been a weird week culminating with me finding out that I am gluten intolerant.  They can't say yes or no that I'm Celiac (probably not), but I can't tolerate wheat in my diet.  Goodbye cakes, cookies and bread, it's been a nice relationship but I must adeiu.  Of course this is going to put an interesting crimp on the whole "Vintage Recipe Blog" idea, I am actually rather glad I'm leaving next week to go to Alaska because it will give me plenty of time to think on this whole thing.  I highly reccomend reading a book called "Wheat Belly" it's a great resource on how wheat has been genetically altered (GMO) to the point that our bodies can no longer cope with it.  As he says in the book, "Today's wheat is not the wheat of our grandmothers".

Of course I'm also going to have to say goodbye to beer as well.  This is probably the most lamentable loss, because I like having a beer from time to time.  It will have to be replaced with wine and hard cider.  Interestingly enough we have wine delivery in some places.  One cannot argue with the health benefits of red wine, and heck I like any kind of wine out there.  Wine is actually the oldest alcoholic drink known to man.  The history of wine goes back to neolithic times and while the cloudy wines of that era bear little resemblance to the fine French wines available today, it has been an interesting journey.

So as I bid a not so fond farewell to pasta and beer, I say hello to Eggplant Parmesan and Chianti... and improved health.

Byrrh Wine Ad 1938

I don't usually deal with foreign ads too much but this one just tickled me.  The ad text reads "Souvenirs du beau voyage.  Voila sweetheart, cela, c'est tout Paris est ceci toute la France." Roughly translated it means "Memories of a beautiful voyage.  That sweetheart, is the pride of Paris and this the pride of France."  So let me get this straight, boyfriend is in the navy (chuckle), boyfriend goes on extended sea duty, both boyfriend and girlfriend live in France but all he brings back is miniature Eiffel Tower and bottle of Byrrh Wine?  What a cheapskate!  This as is only slightly less weird than the Botot ad I posted some time ago.  He did bring home another "gift" from that whorehouse in French-Indochina but he's not talking about that one... hopefully the doctor can stop the itching.  Of course the artwork itself is fun to look at.  Obviously Ms. Girlfriend is some sort of domestic help, judging from the uniform.  She's totally enraptured by the whole 5 francs he's spent, heck even kitty is watching from the floor.  Mr. Sailor boy looks rather old to be in the navy, or maybe it's the salt air... or perhaps even the pack of Gauloises we see peeking from the pocket on his middy blouse.

Give Me a Ten High

I'm wondering if the bellhop in this ad is working at some swank hotel or just insists on dressing like he's in the Imperial German Army.  I'm rusty on my Waffenfarbe or service colors but white collar and cuffs I think designated the baggage train troops which would be apropo since he is a bellhop.  The 1930's and 40's saw a proliferation of these "storyline" ads which sometimes could have a comic book appearance or at others is like this ad.  Gentleman has a great day at the fair, asks the bellhop what's to drink around here.  Bellhop suggests Ten High Whiskey, gentleman is pleasantly surprised and gives bellhop a great tip.

Pick a Peck of Pick's Soda

It struck me the other day that I keep posting alcohol ads on Fridays but for a rather large chunk of the time period I cover on my blog (1900-1950), there was Prohibition.  The Volstead Act became law on Jan 1st 1920 and lasted until 1932 when it was repealed.  It is a lesson to the American people on just what happens when you try to legislate morality, or push your person view on what is "healthy" on the rest of the people.  Banning the sale of alcohol was heralded as the saving of our age, no more would drunkenness be a societal problem.  But as always happens with anything banned, people naturally seek it out for the thrill of "breaking the law".  Drunkenness actually increased by as much as tenfold over what it was pre-prohibition.  This also gave rise to the Gangster era, on punctuated with soaring crime and horrible murders. 

Miller High Life Redux

1952 Miller High Life

I don't really even have to say too much about this ad.  It's from the same series as the other Miller Ad I posted a couple weeks ago and I haven't changed my mind about it.  The designers were definitely high when they made it.  What are your thoughts about this ad?  Leave me a comment below and let your voice be heard!

Ad: National Premuim Beer

1950 National Premium

Maryland used to be known as the "Land of gracious living", a tagline used extensively by National Premium brewing company.  I remember when the National Premium brewery was still in operation down on Hollins Ferry Rd. It was always a treat to drive by an take in the heady smell of the grains being cooked into the wort.  National Premium had 3 brand in order of quality, National Premium Beer, National Bohemian and Colt 45.

For anyone today Colt 45 is no stranger.  It's ubiquitous use in the rap industry has earned it a place on the "do not drink" list, which since it's malt liquor I wouldnt' touch it anyhow.  National Premium Beer dissapeared from the shelves after Carling bought them out in the 1980's.  As far as I know, Carling still makes Colt 45 but the rights and recipes for National Premium and National Bohemian were solt to Pabst in the early 2000's and Pabst has been making National Bohemian for the Baltimore, Maryland market ever since.

National Bohemian (known affectionately as Natty Boh to Baltomoreans) was really a working mans beer back when I was a kid.  We have pictures of my grandfather slipping me a sip of his Boh when I was 5 years old, used to drive mom crazy doing that but what fun.  The Boh made by Pabst is a shadowy ghost of what Boh used to taste like.  It's still cheap, but with that cheapness comes a distinct lack of taste.  I don't know if my taste memory is screwed up over the years or what happened but we lose so much in the haste towards progress.  Here in Jacksonville the local brand was always "Jax, The beer of friendship".  It's another that has been lost to time although I know a local consortium of microbreweries was trying to get the factory up and running again, only time will tell if they are successful.  As for National Premium, look for it's return soon in the Baltimore market as someone managed to get Pabst to give up the recipe and the rights.

Ad & Cocktail: Kinsey Gin & The Martini

1947 Kinsey Gin

This 1947 ad asks "Are you in the middle on the Martini question?"  It sounds like a political debate, between right and left.  Martinis were the drink of choice in the 40's and 50's and it was sometime in the 1960's when the move was on away from a gin base to a vodka martini, brought on no doubt by the popularity of Mr. James Bond.  This ad gives us 3 ways to make a martini:

Sherry Martini

1 Part Dry Sherry
3 Parts Gin

4-to-1 Martini

1 Part Dry Vermouth
4 Parts Gin

Bellows & Co Ad

1939 Bellows & Co.

Bellows and Co. started importing Whiskey from Scotland in 1839 and this ad was produced in celebration of their 100th anniversary.  I actually grabbed it because I was toying with the idea of using the labels as a background for the blog or the header but I just couldn't get it to work right. So it got resigned to the folder to wait it's turn to be used as an article.  I keep a ready supply of these things on hand.  Actually when I last checked I have 117 vintage ads ready to be made into articles and I usually troll E-bay for more once a week.  Anyhow, I digress, on with the show.

Ad: De Kuyper

1937 De Kuyper

I wonder if De Kuyper was any better back in the 30's than it is now?  I really avoid buying this so called "Schnapps" because it's over sweet garbage that was given a new lease on life when crappy sweet shooters like the buttered pancake became all the rage.  Sorry I'm not really in the mood to write much today, I'm busy trying to get stuff done around the yard so I can get some vegetables in the ground now that the weather is cooler.  One thing I can say about this ad is the bottles were certainly cooler back then.

Ad: Miller High Life (With Emphasis on the High Part)

Yeah they were High in 1952 all right...

Another Friday, another vintage alcohol ad. I'm not really in the mood for a cocktail today, just too damn hot outside. So instead I'll have a beer. Normally I'd be drinking something European, Chimay, Dortmunder, Czechvar etc but it's not normal today. No, because money is an issue my days of walking into ABC and leaving with an $11 6-pack of Old Speckled Hen are quite over. I've sampled my way around the macro-brews here in the USA and only one really met my demands.

Ad: Gilbey's Gin

1938 Gilbey's Gin, Manila Club

 1938, American was still in the grips of the Great Depression but if you had a little money you could book passage on a ship to Manila, or if you really had some scratch you could fly on one of the new Pan-Am Clippers out of San Fransisco.  In Manila, buoyed by an exchange rate of 2 pesos to the dollar, Americans could live it up, tropical style.

Ad & Cocktail: Hildick Brandy & Jersey Cocktail (1910)

1941 Hildick's Applejack & Brandy

 I had to take a break today (Thursday) from cleaning out the kitchen.  It's a once every 2 month thing to have to go through and reclaim the counters from the creeping pile of "stuff".  Pull everything off and scrub the counters with Borax and then arrange the stuff that belongs neatly.  It's noon and I've been at it since 9am and I still have the pantry to arrange. 

Ad: Miller High Life

1958 Miller High Life

Well it's the first Friday for this blog and here we will start a theme, old ads for alcohol on Fridays.  Anyone who lives in the US will instantly recognize Miller Beer Co, although the favored beverage from that company now is Miller Lite.  Personally I think all lite beer is tasteless swill but de gustibus non est disputandum (to each his own).