Did an acclaimed American director invent the mimosa, or is it just the cousin of a cocktail born in London?
We have both brunch classic cocktails at Gunther Toody’s – mimosas and Bloody Mary’s!
It’s hard to think about brunch without a mimosa, the two things just go hand-in-hand. Many brunch spots offer bottomless mimosas or even serve one drink complimentary. There is just something about the refreshing combination of champagne and orange juice that goes perfectly with a leisurely Sunday brunch.
Like most classic cocktails and many popular American dishes, there are a lot of legends regarding the true origins of the mimosa. A drink called Buck’s Fizz was invented in 1921 at the Buck’s Club in London. This drink is also made with champagne and orange juice, but with a larger quantity of the wine. It is believed that four years later, in 1925, a bartender at the Ritz Hotel in Paris named Frank Meier invented the mimosa, which uses equal parts sparkling wine and juice.
There is even one story that says director Alfred Hitchcock invented the mimosa in San Francisco in the 1940’s. According to The Oxford Companion to American Food and Drink, the mimosa is merely a variation of the Buck’s Fizz, but it does suggest that perhaps Hitchcock was the one to popularize it as a brunch drink in this country.
The true story of the mimosa is probably lost to history but that won’t stop us from celebrating the beverage at Gunther Toody’s. Stop in this weekend and enjoy a delicious brunch with a mimosa!