White Russian (cocktail)

The traditional cocktail known as a black Russian, which first appeared in 1949, becomes a white Russian with the addition of cream. Neither drink has any known Russian origin, but both are so-named due to vodka being the primary ingredient. It is unclear which drink preceded the other.{{Cite web | last = Sicard | first = Cheri | title = Featured Cocktails – Black Russian and White Russian | publisher = FabulousFoods.com | date = August 6, 2007 | url = http://www.fabulousfoods.com/index.php?option=com_resource&controller=article&article=21219&category_id=237&Itemid=177 | access-date = 2010-06-08 | archive-date = 2013-04-25 | archive-url = https://archive.today/20130425210303/http://www.fabulousfoods.com/articles/21219/featured-cocktails-black-russian-and-white-russian | url-status = dead }}{{cite web|url=http://www.bootsnall.com/articles/08-10/10-famous-cocktails-and-where-they-were-born.html|title=10 Famous Cocktails and Where They Were Born|work=bootsnall.com|access-date=2017-02-09 }}

The Oxford English Dictionary{{cite web|url=http://www.oed.com/public/update0706/loginpage|title=June 2007 Update : Oxford English Dictionary|work=oed.com|access-date=2017-02-09 }} refers to the first mention of white Russian in the sense of a cocktail as appearing in California's Oakland Tribune on November 21, 1965.{{cite web|url=https://nicoledigiose.com/2012/08/10/the-history-of-the-white-russian/|title=The History of the White Russian|date=August 10, 2012|work=nicoledigiose.com|access-date=2017-02-09 }} It was placed in the newspaper as an insert: "White Russian. 1 oz. each Southern, vodka, cream",{{Cite encyclopedia | title = White Russian, n. and a. | encyclopedia = Oxford English Dictionary | date = June 2007 | url = http://dictionary.oed.com/cgi/entry/50284859 | access-date = 2010-05-06 }} with "Southern" referring to Coffee Southern, a short-lived brand of coffee liqueur by Southern Comfort.{{cite web |url=http://thealcoholenthusiast.com/2011/05/11/an-enthusiasts-guide-to-cocktails-the-white-russian/ |title=An Enthusiast's Guide to Cocktails: the White Russian|publisher=The Alcohol Enthusiast |date=May 11, 2011|access-date=2011-12-02 }}

The white Russian saw a surge in popularity after the 1998 release of the film The Big Lebowski. Throughout the movie, it appears as the beverage of choice for the protagonist, Jeffrey "The Dude" Lebowski.{{Cite news |last=Boardman |first=Madeline |title=Jeff Dowd, Real 'Big Lebowski' Dude, Talks White Russians, Jeff Bridges And Bowling |work=The Huffington Post |date=2013-03-06 |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/06/jeff-dowd-real-big-lebowski-dude_n_2814930.html |access-date=2015-04-24 |archive-date=2020-12-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201225022623/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/jeff-dowd-real-big-lebowski-dude_n_2814930 |url-status=live }} On a number of occasions he refers to the drink as a "Caucasian".{{cite news|last=Kurutz|first=Steven|title=White Russians Arise, This Time at a Bowling Alley|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/03/dining/03lebo.html|access-date=2014-01-09 |newspaper=The New York Times|date=2 December 2008}}

File:White Russian Cocktail.jpg

As with all cocktails, various modes of preparation exist, varying according to the recipes and styles of particular bars or mixologists. Most common varieties have adjusted amounts of vodka or coffee liqueur, or mixed brands of coffee liqueur. Shaking the cream in order to thicken it prior to pouring it over the drink is also common. Sometimes the drink is prepared on the stove with hot coffee for a warm treat on cold days. Conversely, vanilla ice cream has been known to be used, rather than cream, to make it frozen.{{cite web | title=Nostalgic Frozen Kahlúa White Russian Cocktail & Holiday Entertaining Tips | website=Cooking in Stilettos | date=2018-06-12 | url=https://cookinginstilettos.com/frozen-kahlua-white-russian-cocktail-and-holiday-entertaining-tips/ | access-date=2019-02-03}}{{cite web | title=Frozen White Russians! | website=Anne Taintor | date=2015-07-10 | url=https://annetaintor.com/frozen-white-russians/ | access-date=2019-02-03 | archive-date=2020-10-30 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201030214838/https://annetaintor.com/frozen-white-russians/ | url-status=dead }}

Many variants of the cocktail exist, such as a mudslide, Bolshevik, or blonde Russian (made with Irish cream), an Anna Kournikova (named after the tennis player, made with skimmed milk, i.e. a "skinny" white Russian), a white Cuban (made with rum instead of vodka), a black Russian (vodka and coffee liqueur), or a dirty Russian (with chocolate syrup added).{{cite web |title=Vodka Drinks We Love: The Black Russian |url=https://www.liquor.com/recipes/black-russian/ |website=Liquor.com |access-date=12 June 2023 |language=en}}{{Cite web | title=The Snows of Revolution | author=Bingo Barnes| work=The Boise Weekly |date=November 1, 2006 | url=http://www.boiseweekly.com/boise/the-snows-of-revolution/Content?oid=930015 | access-date=2010-12-31 | archive-date=2012-04-07 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120407050339/http://www.boiseweekly.com/boise/the-snows-of-revolution/Content?oid=930015 | url-status=dead }}{{Cite web | title=White Russian | publisher=Conan's Pub | year=2006 | url=http://www.conans-pub.com/cocktails/white-russian.html | access-date=2010-05-06 | archive-date=2011-10-08 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111008195926/http://www.conans-pub.com/cocktails/white-russian.html | url-status=dead }} A Colorado bulldog or tall black Russian adds a splash of cola.{{Cite web|url=https://www.kahlua.com/us/drinks/classic/colorado-bulldog/|title = Colorado Bulldog}} A white Mexican substitutes tequila for vodka.{{Cite web|url=https://www.instructables.com/White-Mexican-Cocktail-El-Guerro/|title = White Mexican}}

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