Cocktail of the Week: Blue Blazer

Jerry Thomas :: How to Mix Drinks (A Bartender's Guide)
The Art of the Drink has transcribed Jerry Thomas' original bartenders guide from 1862 and made it available online. Lots of interesting cocktail history and helpful hints like:

When preparing cold Punch, the bowl should be placed in a tin or metal vessel about the same depth as the height of the bowl, the space between the bowl and the vessel being packed with ice, and a little rock-salt sprinkled over the surface, which has the effect of producing a freezing mixture, much colder than the plain ice. Towels may be pinned around the exterior of the vessel, and the exposed surface of the ice trimmed with fruit or leaves, giving the whole an attractive appearance.

There are lots of punch recipes.

I found this image scan of the Blue Blazer from the book on another site:

Do bars even serve flaming drinks anymore? I remember my Aunt ordering some type of flaming shot back in the late 80s. She was probably just doing it to show off for me (about 16 years old, eating the happy hour snacks while my Mom and Aunt enjoyed happy hour)

At any rate here are the instructions, for historical purposes only. I guarantee this will not be served in my bar.

Blue Blazer.
(Use two silver-plated mugs.)
Take 1 small tea-spoonful of powdered white sugar
dissolved in 1 wine-glass of boiling water.
1 wine-glass of Scotch whiskey.

Put the whiskey and the boiling water in one mug, ignite the liquid with fire, and while blazing mix both ingredients by pouring them four or five times from one mug to the other. If well done this will have the appearance of a continued stream of liquid fire. Serve in a small bar-glass with a piece of twisted lemon peel.

The novice in mixing this beverage should be careful not to scald himself. To become proficient in throwing the liquid from one mug to the other, it will be necessary to practise for some time with cold water.

Since we do need something to drink this week, here's the White Lion:

White Lion.
(Use small bar-glass.)
Take 1 tea-spoonful of pulverized white sugar.
½ a lime (squeeze out juice and put rind in glass).
1 wine-glass Santa Cruz rum.
1 tea-spoonful of Curacoa.
1 tea-spoonful of raspberry syrup.

Fill the glass half-full of shaved ice, shake up well
and strain into a cocktail glass.

Cheers!