March 24, 2022 - National Cocktail Day | National Cheesesteak Day

Welcome to March 24th, 2022 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate two origin stories with happy results. Considering how long alcohol has been part of human culture, it’s surprising that the first cocktail wasn’t invented until the 1800s. Antoine Peychaud created the Sazerac in New Orleans using cognac, sugar, absinthe, and a dash of bitters. The name Sazerac comes from the brand of French cognac that was used, but these days the primary ingredient is rye whiskey. And why do we call these drinks cocktails? Supposedly, that first cocktail was served in an egg cup—or, in French, a coquetier—a word that morphed into cocktail. On National Cocktail Day, mix yourself a glass of your favorite drink. In 1930, Pat Olivier ran a hotdog stand in Philadelphia. One afternoon, he cooked up some sliced beef on his grill and made a steak sandwich. A passing cab driver asked Pat to make him one too and he loved it so much he told all his friends. Soon the steak sandwich was the talk of the town. Nearly 20 years later someone thought to add cheese. And this is where it turned into a “Hatfields and McCoys” rivalry. Geno’s and Pat’s are two restaurants located across the street from one another and each wants to take the credit. No one is sure who actually came up with it, but on National Cheesesteak Day, everyone agrees it’s a great sandwich! I’m Anna Devere and I’m Marlo Anderson. Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices