How important is history? It may not be as stagnant as you think. An interesting article in the NEW YORK TIMES titled “The Stories That Bind Us Help Children Face Challenges” followed a study of children whose parents shared the family’s history with them. The study found that the more children knew about their family’s history, the stronger their sense of control over their lives, the higher their self-esteem and the more successfully they believed their families functioned. The study was called “Do You know?” and the findings indicated that the children who knew more about their families proved to be more resilient, meaning they could moderate the effects of stress. So let’s explore history, both local and personal.
In 1947 Sadie Patton published the first serious book on Henderson County, THE STORY OF HENDERSON COUNTY (long out of print). Although there may be a few “inaccuracies” in some of her facts she worked diligently without the aid of computers, Google, Ancestry, or any of the easily accessible resources we have today. She tells us that Henderson County was created by the Legislature of 1838-39 that took lands from Buncombe and Rutherford County to create the new county of Henderson. Later these lands will continue to be disputed, added to and taken away with Polk and Transylvania Counties as they were developed. The City of Hendersonville was chartered in 1846-47 and ratified in 1847. The County was named after Judge Leonard Henderson. Yet the selection of Judge Henderson as a namesake for Henderson County remains a mystery since he had never been here nor had any ties.
So how about the lineage of one of our cocktails – the Brandy Daisy? The Daisy has been around since at least the mid 1800’s and is part of the sour family of drinks. So the “Daisy” is not just a drink it is a family of cocktails. Like a family of generations, the Brandy Daisy has produced many alternatives and variations as it evolved. By the mid-1940’s many recipes added new ingredients like Grenadine and powdered sugar while other juices like raspberry make an appearance. But it seems that by the mid-century period, the Daisy became less complicated and settled on just a few ingredients that have stayed steady even until today.
1880 Brandy Daisy – Brandy, lemon juice, lime juice, raspberry syrup
1900s Brandy Daisy – Brandy, rum, Curacao, simple syrup, lemon juice
Modern day Brandy Daisy – Brandy, Chartreuse, lemon juice, club soda
Sidecar (inspiration for the Daisy and the Margarita) – Brandy, Cointreau, lemon juice
Cosmopolitan (1990s addition to the family) – Brandy, Cointreau, lime juice, cranberry juice
Worldly brandy flight ½ price