From Punch to Present Day: David Wondrich on Writing, Research, and Revival

The podcast explores the evolution of cocktail culture and history with David Wondrich, a cocktail historian. Wondrich recounts his accidental entry into the field, transitioning from English professor to cocktail historian. A key theme is the shift in accessing information, contrasting the pre-internet era's reliance on physical books with today's abundance of digitized resources. Wondrich discusses common cocktail myths, such as the origins of the Manhattan and the Margarita, and emphasizes the importance of accuracy over sensationalism in historical research. He also touches on the industry's move away from in-person education due to cost and the impact of the pandemic. Looking ahead, Wondrich anticipates a return to balanced classic cocktails and a move away from overly complicated creations.