OH! MIGHTY CECIL! " Plastic Swords"

General Questions
#1

OH MIGHTY CECIL ADAMS! Celestial Font Of Wisdom, and part-time yo-yo demonstrator! Hail to thee.

I have a question which surely cannot be solved by the [del]schmucks[/del] faithful followers of Yours that hang out on the SDMB.

Plastic swords.

You know, the tiny little ones, used to spear cherries & olives in mixed drinks.

Where the heck do they come from?

When were they first made?

Why swords?

Was there a time that olives had to be slain in battle, before a Martini could be mixed?

And, what about Naomi?:smiley:

#2

I have the feeling that BD’CoT had a whole row of little swords on the bartop before writing that post… :smiley:

ETA: But it’s a GOOD question.

#3

I am as jober as a studge.

:smiley:
:stuck_out_tongue:

#4

Maybe the mini swords are representative of real swords that were used as skewers? For cooking slabs of meat over fire, back in the day.

#5

Definitely the the topic must have deranged OP, who by the appeal to Cecil at first I thought was a noob. What, the TM’s not good enough for you?

I very well might be wrong, but I think mainstream Orthodox religious folk initially were repelled by Chasidism for, among other things, explicitly and dangerously violating the dogma of “Don’t force the Messiah.”

They might have been on to something there for us to consider in the SD…
ETA: Who’s Naomi?

#6

Using the term “swizzle stick” in a search will perhaps lead to an answer.

#7

They’re really for:

Very small dragons.

Olive skewering is for after they’re used.

#8

Maybe Ruth’s mother-in-law ? From one of the most boring books of an exceptionally boring book.

#9

I had a BIL (now ex-BIL) who is a jeweler that cast a bunch of these out of sterling silver. I thought they were cool, but I am not a martini drinker, so I didn’t get any. Now, because of the ex-part, I doubt I’ll see him again.

#10

There was once a wondrous children’s educational program, back in the misty days of yore, called The Electric Company. For the first few seasons, the closing sketch of each show was Love of Chair, which parodied the old radio soap operas’ tradition of ending with a short monologue by the announcer, of the possible things that might happen next in the story. Something like “Will the boy ever get over his chair? Will the chair ever get over the boy?” and the last question was always “And what about Naomi?”

Love of Chair

#11

I totally get you.

#12

Today, they come from Beistle Co as well as other fine companies and are presumably manufactured in China like everything else.

Higher class cocktail picks are available here: http://www.polyvore.com/snowflake_cocktail_picks/thing?id=26517592 ::turns up nose::

Cocktail picks are a variety of cocktail garnish: http://www.cocktailsoftheworld.com/garnishing-cocktails.html

The first bartender’s guide to cocktails was published in 1862. That’s one lead. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cocktail

Excerpt: 3. Fancy drinks are usually ornamented with such fruits as are in season. When a beverage requires to be strained into a glass, the fruit is added after straining; but when this is not the case, the fruit is introduced into the glass at once. Fruit, of course, must not be handled, but picked up with a silver spoon or fork. As to when they were first made, I’d first figure out what plastic they are made of. When was cheap brittle plastic introduced?

#13

Wikipedia can sometimes be used to look things up.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swizzle_stick

#14

people would make bar bets which sometimes turned into minibar fights. the little spears proved ineffective. the swords were developed for better close range use.

#15

Professor Swizzle, in the Library, with the Plastic Sword

#16

The problem with Googling everything is that Google lacks the style and humor of discussion found on the boards. Besides, once we can Google everything, what are we to do at work without the boards?

#17

I believe that wikipedia is wrong in this instance. A swizzle stick is only for stirring. In the case of cocktails, it is usually a straight plastic stick with a small knob on one end.

What the OP refers to is more correctly called, as Measure for Measure has already shown us, a cocktail pick.

Who can resolve this? Any professional bartenders listening?

#18

These links may be of some interest:

http://cocktails.wikia.com/wiki/Cocktail_Sword (Apparently they are fashioned to look like a rapier from the 1600s.)

http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/1960s-vintage-cocktail-sword-picks-246503943 (They also have been around since at least the 1960s at least as metal utensils.)

http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-39648778/stock-photo-a-cocktail-sword-stuck-into-a-stone.html (And they also appear to hold magical powers.)

#19

Which is why I stir my drink with a little plastic gun.

#20

I think there may be a rule that the swords are only for cocktail onions and olives. For cherries and pineapple, you get the umbrella.