Chanticleer Society

[eje]

"The Sunday Mercury says that if you are at a hotel, and wish to call for a beverage compounded of brandy, sugar, absynthe, bitters and ice, called by the vulgar a cocktail, ask for une queue de chanticleer-it will be an evidence at once of your knowledge of French and of Chesterfield."

- The New Orleans Daily Picayune, February 2, 1843, p.2

[Transcribed by David Wondrich, October 2008]

For years one of the best sources for information regarding cocktails and bars and tending has been the DrinkBoy Forum hosted by Robert Hess on MSN Groups.

Unfortunately, in February of 2009, MSN will discontinue its groups service.

Robert Hess, aka DrinkBoy, has decided to start a new non-profit and a new forum dedicated to the advancement of the cocktail.

Chanticleer Society

To quote Robert from the group's website:

In an effort to establish an organization that will be designed by cocktailians, for cocktailians, and allow them to gather together and exchange information and insights, we have created the "Chanticleer Society". The name was chosen based on a newspaper clipping from 1843 that David Wondrich uncovered which provided the term "Chanticleer" as a more refined alternative to the vulgarly intoned "cock tail". As such it reflects both the refined nature that this organization will embody, while providing an enticingly mysterious designation as well.