Mae West Cocktail

Last night I was watching TV with my 98-year-old great aunt, when an ad for Alka-Seltzer came on. She immediately perked up and said that, back in the 40s, they used to mix Alka-Seltzer and water in a glass, and then put a condom over it. They called this a Mae West cocktail. It was a popular party trick, she said, to ask someone if they wanted a Mae West cocktail and serve them this.

I immediately thought that I needed to add this to my list of things named after Mae West that I posted four years ago.

I googled the term 'Mae West cocktail' and found a variety of different recipes for alcoholic cocktails named after her, but no mention of the Alka-Seltzer and condom trick. Though I did manage to find a picture of the trick being performed.

image source: ourbusandus.blogspot.com

Since my great aunt's version of the cocktail has no alcohol in it, I suppose that technically it's a virgin Mae West cocktail.