Professional Mixologist Rachel Marsden shared insights into her freelance bartender business during this week’s Rotary meeting.  Marsden operates “Refreshments by Rachel” and provides a service offering cocktails (and mocktails) for special events in homes or at rented venues.  She can also be found behind the bar at area high-end restaurants and event spaces. Marsden originally did part-time bartender work while going to school to get her degree as a special education teacher.  During the Covid pandemic she realized there was a need for someone with bartending skills to help service small private gatherings and this led to her entrepreneurial move to create her own freelance business.

 

Marsden is only licensed to mix and serve drinks. Party hosts or event organizers are responsible for securing the liquor used for events (Marsden assists with suggested inventory to buy).   If payment for drinks is involved, others must handle any money collections.  This is usually accomplished by the organizers selling drink tickets turned in at the bar.

 

Marsden says the popularity of cocktails increased during Prohibition due to restrictions on alcohol content in drinks.  She said the standard cocktail is made up of two ounces of liquor, one ounce citrus, and one ounce sugar.  A cocktail that is shaken, not stirred, will be colder and somewhat more diluted (as in just the way James Bond likes his Vodka Martini).   She said she enjoys mixing extra special dink creations involving exotic liquors, special aromas, or those having special appearances such as using edible flowers.  When asked, Marsden said she has observed that the “Cosmopolitan” is a favorite drink of women and an “Old Fashioned” is often chosen by men.  To learn more or have questions asked, she may be contacted by email at rachelkmars@gmail.com.

April 21, 1926 – Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor is born in Mayfair, London, England.  As Queen Elizabeth II she will become Great Britain’s longest serving monarch.

 

April 23, 1564 – Playwright William Shakespeare is born in Stratford-upon-Avon, England.

 

April 27, 1822 – Civil War general and 18^th President of the United States Ulysses S. Grant is born in Point Pleasant, Ohio.

 

April 28, 1758 – Fifth U. S. President and architect of the Doctrine that bears his name, James Monroe, is born in Monroe Hall, Virginia.

April 21, 1904 – Controversial baseball legend Ty Cobb begins his career playing for the Augusta, Georgia team of the South Atlantic League.  He winds up in Detroit and spends 22 seasons with the Tigers setting 90 big league records, several of which he still holds.

 

April 22, 1970 – An estimated 20 million people turn out for locally-organized environmental educational events promoted by Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson.  Nelson was trying to call attention to the inaction of Congress on environmental issues and inaugurated the very first “Earth Day”. 

 

April 26, 1954 – The Salk polio vaccine field trials, involving 1.8 million children, begin at the Franklin Sherman Elementary School in McLean, Virginia.  Children in the United States, Canada and Finland participated.  One year later, researchers announced the vaccine was safe and effective and it quickly became a standard part of childhood immunizations.

 

April 26, 1994 – Multiracial elections were held for the first time in the history of South Africa.  Anti-Apartheid leader Nelson Mandela was elected President.