Recipe: The Redcoat Cocktail

The Redcoat

Circa: 1776

           We are having a few friends over to the house tomorrow to celebrate the 4^th of July and I thought that it would be fun to have a signature cocktail for the festivities! July in Houston means very warm days so I wanted to have something very light and refreshing for guests that also took advantage of the beautiful and delicious fruits that are in season! When I was testing out recipes for my 4^th of July cocktail a friend commented that I was using traditional British spirits for a uniquely American celebration. I happen to love using Pimms Cup No.1 and Gin for cocktails this time of year and I didn’t even realize that they were right! But since we are serving an All-American menu ending with a very patriotic red, white, and blue dessert I thought why not have British-inspired cocktails and tell the whole story of the American Revolution and our fight for Independence. So that is how the name and concept of this cocktail came to be. I present to you The Redcoat!

             Of course I can’t leave you without a little bit of background information and history that you can read while sipping your cocktail. I thought it would be fun to do a little research and find out more about the Redcoats in honor of our drink! The dictionary defines Redcoat as a British soldier especially in America during the Revolutionary War. The red uniform was officially adopted by the Parliament of England in 1645 when they passed the New Model Army ordinance. The infantry wore coats of Venetian red with white facings. While red uniforms are by no means exclusive to the British Army, their extensive use of this color over a period of nearly 300 years has made it an icon of the British Empire.

             Why red? One of the main reasons for choosing the vibrant color was the fact that russet and crimson dyes were relatively cheap to produce. Roots of the madder plant were dried, crushed and hulled to produce the red colored dye. In addition there was a growing popular sense that red was the national English color. It has also been said that they believed the red would hide blood stains; however this has proven to be a myth.

             While today most people wouldn’t choose bright red for a military uniform because it would make a soldier easy to spot from across the field….well in the 18^th century that was the whole point! Surprised?  During a time where a musket had a limited range and accuracy and battlefield visibility was obscured by clouds of smoke the bright red uniform helped commanders and fellow troops distinguish friend from foe!

             In parting I want to wish everyone a very Happy 4^th of July filled with friends, fireworks and maybe even a few Redcoats!