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A Cocktail Shaker -- The Essential Kitchen Accessory
by Jane Smallman
Refacing Cabinet Columnist
If you are planning to entertain at home this Christmas and New Year add a little extra sparkle to your party by serving cocktails made in a proper shaker. The kitchen blender might do a good enough job, but this essential accessory looks (and sounds) much better.
The Kitchen Accessory with a Long History
Some historians claim that the cocktail shaker has its origins in the gourds used for storing and mixing drinks in South America over 8,000 years ago, although the metal shaker that we are familiar with today did not become popular until the late 1800s. Cocktails became really fashionable in the United States during the 1920's jazz age, when party going reached a peak of popularity. Whether in a bar, or at home, the cocktail shaker was the essential accessory to a good time.
In the 1930s, with the repeal of prohibition, and cocktail drinking glamorized on the silver screen, the demand for cocktail shakers really took off. They began to be mass-produced in the materials and styles of the day. Bakelite was popular because it was hardwearing, and one of the most popular shapes was the "skyscraper". By 1940 almost every home owned a cocktail shaker and it had become a standard kitchen accessory.
With the beginning of the Second World War cocktails went out of fashion, despite a brief revival during the 1950s. Most shakers were relegated to the back of the kitchen cupboard, and stayed there, largely because almost every home was now in possession of that most popular kitchen accessory -- the electric blender.
Why Buy a Cocktail Shaker Now?
Whether you mix your drinks in the kitchen or have a home bar, a cocktail shaker is both a stylish, decorative and useful accessory. It is fun to use, makes a good party piece and will help your guests relax and enjoy themselves.
About the Author
Jane Smallman holds a bachelor's degree in social sciences and a master's degree in social and political thought from the University of Sussex. After working in the hotel industry in France, Holland, the US, and the UK, Jane now operates a mountain guiding business with her husband.
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