Flaming beverage

Flaming beverages include cocktails and other mixed drinks that contain flammable, high-proof alcohol, which is ignited prior to consumption. The alcohol may be an integral part of the drink, or it may be floated as a thin layer across the top of the drink. The flames are mostly for dramatic flair. However, in combination with certain ingredients, the flavor of the drink is altered. Some flavors are enhanced, and it may impart a toasted flavor to some drinks.

Combining fire with alcohol can be dangerous. Proper precautions must be taken to ensure the safety of both the bartender and the patrons drinking the beverage. The drink should not be consumed while the flames are still burning. The drinkware may become quite hot to hold or to sip from, and that could result in burns. Additionally, there always is a risk of spills or catching other items on fire, especially if the patrons are already intoxicated.

Alcohol has been consumed as a beverage for millennia. It has been used as a fuel for fire for a long time as well. Exactly when people began combining alcohol in beverages with fire is uncertain.

Many traditional recipes for food incorporate flaming alcohol as a key process or ingredient. This method of cooking is usually referred to as flambé. Bananas Foster, cherries jubilee, bombe Alaska, crêpe Suzette, steak Diane, and coq au vin are a few well-known dishes that utilize this method for both imparting complex flavors in the food and, in the case of all but the last, a spectacle performed at the tableside. During the Victorian era, flaming steamed puddings became a tradition.

In the mid-1800s, a typical saloon would serve basic spirits, such as whiskey, brandy, or gin. For a sweet variation, a little sugar might be added. For special occasions and depending on availability of the ingredients, various punches, toddies, egg nogs, grogs, or mulled wines might be provided, especially at social events. Somewhere between at least the 1600s and the 1860s, people began to light the alcohol on fire.

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