Last week, on August 18th, lots of people celebrated the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote.
However, as a legal matter, women could not actually vote until August 26th of that year.
The ratification had to be certified by the Secretary of State (Bainbridge Colby) before it became an Amendment to the Constitution, and he did so on August 26th.
Today, August 26, 2020 is the actual 100th anniversary. On this day, exactly 100 years ago, women were officially, legally allowed to vote throughout the United States.
I wanted to create a recipe for some food or other that would be a fitting tribute to the determination, steadfastness and grit of the women who worked hard, were abused, ridiculed, scorned, arrested, beaten and who otherwise struggled to make this Amendment happen.
But nothing seemed to be good enough.
So I switched gears and decided to concoct a cocktail, even though, ironically, 1920 was also the year that Prohibition went into effect.
This was not hard work folks!
Although it did take several tries.
A most enjoyable time had I testing to make sure all the ingredients were finely attuned.
Which they are.
This is quite a lovely libation if I say so myself!
So, here, in honor of Women’s Suffrage, to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the certification of 19th Amendment, is my special cocktail, “The 826,” to mark the day.
Make one of these and see for yourself what I mean. And next time you’re at a cocktail party, ask for The 826 and send the bartender over to this page for the recipe.
Most important: don’t take the 19th Amendment for granted. It took hard work, persistence and determination to get it. So make sure you VOTE.
The 826
Ice cubes
6 tablespoons pineapple-orange juice (or use pineapple or orange juice)
1/4 cup dark rum
1/4 cup cranberry juice
1 tablespoon grenadine
1 teaspoon lime juice
1 teaspoon maraschino cherry juice
Maraschino cherry
Place 6-8 ice cubes in a cocktail shaker. Add the pineapple juice, rum, cranberry juice, grenadine, lime juice and maraschino cherry juice. Shake several times, then either strain through a strainer into cocktail glasses or pour with ice cubes into old fashioned glasses. Garnish with a maraschino cherry.
Makes one big or two small drinks