Judge, 1927-01-01 · page 13 of 36
Judge — January 1, 1927 — page 13: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a humorous department from Judge magazine celebrating cocktails and luxurious drinking culture during Prohibition or the early 20th century. The satirical "High Hat" laboratory concept mocks the elite's obsessive pursuit of elaborate cocktails by proposing an absurdly extravagant underground facility beneath the Hudson River—complete with 300 cellars, champagne swimming pools, and rooms themed after specific drinks ("Mint Julep," "Sparkling Burgundy," a "Passing Out" room). The cartoon below illustrates this fantasy with bottles labeled "Gordon Water" and XXX liquor, plus the "Five Fruits" establishment with numbered sections. The satire targets wealthy sophisticates' pretentiousness about drinking. Interspersed are genuine cocktail recipes from readers (Chuck Evans, Mr. Reid) for drinks like flaming brandy oranges and champagne cocktails—treating them as treasured contributions worthy of sharing among this snobbish "High Hats" social circle. The overall tone gently ridicules upper-class drink obsession while entertaining readers with the recipes themselves.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
IMIG: This department has long been in need of a laboratory to test out recipes from High Hats and many is the pleasant hour ““Mac” and 1 e spent planning it out . . . the well- known air castle will look like an abandoned farmhouse if our dreams ever come true! ... “Mac” insists that the laboratory, or laboratories be located three miles under the Hudson River and approached via a beautifully appointed plati- num elevator with a brass railing . . there are to be three hundred cellars and two hundred rooms and is this place to be high hat?... Why even the doormen will wear mono- cles! ... We have included in our plans a hundred foot champagne swimming pool in which we will hold swimming races, fancy di tests and champagne polo. and Tom Collins showers wi nected with each room. . . . has pictured below the “Cocktail” room which will give you a rough idea of the magnitude of our under- taking . . . there will also be the “Highball” zoom, with a syphon bottle as big as the Woolworth build- ing, the “Mint Julep” room, with our own private mint bed and a “Sparkling Burgundy” room done entirely in rhinestones. The piéce de résistance will be the “Passing Out” room done entirely in black . a corps of architects are busy drawing up plans (on _blot- ting paper) and we will be glad to entertain ideas from Brother High Hats. 1 Speaking of drinking, Chuck Evans of San Diego sends in a rather neat suggestion . . . take off the peel of an orange so that a half section re- mains intact, fill two thirds full of brandy, drop a lump of sugar in, light and allow it to burn until the sugar is dissolved. . . . fh Speaking of drinking, Mr. Reid’s plea for the recipe for a champagne cocktail has met with a generous no end response and he is indebted to no less than eighteen brother High Hats! ... Take a lump of sugar saturated in Boker’s bitters, one lump of ice and one piece of lemon peel—fill glass with cold champagne and drink! he At the risk of using too much (Continued on page 27) | ‘ | | ‘ WY re I F ible Yea a" ON RE Sone ae oll RECIPE, EE Gers By ALLING REGENES WO OK 11 comicbooks.com