Swizzles with Sizzle - Page 2

SWIZZLER FOLKLORE

The folklore of swizzle sticks—or as some call them, cocktail spoons—revealed their first appearance on sugar plantations in the West Indies in the early 1600s. Small branches, mostly from the quararibea turbinata tree (also known as the swizzlestick tree), were used to stir a revitalizing rum elixir called switchel or the rum swizzle—water mixed with a small amount of rum.

Others say the energizing drink was made of cool water mixed with vinegar and molasses seasoned with ginger—sort of a Gatorade or health drink from centuries past.

When it was discovered that molasses, a byproduct of sugar production, could be fermented and distilled into rum, the rum elixir became the drink of choice for Islanders. The name 'switchel' morphed into 'swizzle,' and there you have it.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, these colorful and often ornate stir sticks were made of glass and used to shake out the bubbles from champagne, whose carbonation caused indigestion for some. Even Queen Victoria (1819-1901) of the United Kingdom was known to use a stirring rod to hunt bubbles in her champagne.

Later, swizzle sticks were concocted from Bakelite plastic. They eventually became particularly decorative with the arrival of themed establishments, and were often kept as souvenirs or collectibles.

Each stick had a unique brand or design displayed at its top end—a calling card of sorts for airlines, restaurants, bars, and other businesses. Not only have we never stopped using these colorful beverage tools, there's a resurgence of interest today in their mid-century design style.

STIRRING UP PROMOTION

In 1934, inventor Jay Sindler revolutionized swizzle sticks with a promotional idea. Sindler's timing was perfect. It was two-and-a-half months after the repeal of Prohibition, and, according to legend, he sat staring at his martini at the bar in Boston's Ritz-Carlton Hotel, wondering how he could remove the olive without dipping his fingers into his gin.

Sindler sketched the solution on his cocktail napkin: a small spear made of wood with a paddle-shaped handle. The paddle would also serve as a miniature advertisement imprinted with the establishment's name.

The idea would have been worthless during Prohibition, but afterwards, drinking establishments wanted their names and addresses out in public. Swizzle sticks conveyed the information and were cheaper than a book of printed matches or vanishing ashtrays boasting logos.

Sindler was granted a patent in 1935; and his company, Spir-it Inc., is still in business today, now called Spirit Foodservice. Marketing manager Rachel Pantely says sales of custom designed/molded accessories are up nearly 14 percent over the past year.