Cocktails are one of America's contributions to the culinary world, but carbonated beverages are another truly American drink. Before the bottle and can, soda-pop was served from soda fountains made from the finest marble and were gilded with gold. There were thousands of different recipes, like phosphates and lactarts, were dishes out by the soda jerks with flair. Intoxicants like cocaine, morphine, alcohol and strychnine were a significant part of early soda drinks. All of this had a significant impact on cocktails. Even bartenders were influenced by the soda fountains, especially during

prohibition when thousands of bartenders were forced to become soda jerks. The change in America's taste for all things sweet and the cocktail changing from a morning drink to a nightcap can be attributed to the soda fountain. Today's mixed drinks can be explained by the fusion of cocktails and soda.