One-Balled Dictator
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This is a little-known wine cocktail drunk by some World War II veterans. A little unorthodox, it is still a reasonably tasty drink, as well as a clever reference to wartime pop propaganda.
Recipe
To make, take:
- 1 part good champagne
- 5 parts cheap liebfraumilch
Shake the concoction very violently but for a short duration, then pour into a "rocks" type glass. Before drinking, add one cinnamon ball, the type found in bags of bulk candy. You now have a One-Balled Dictator. A splash of Galliano liqueur added just before shaking will create a Mussolini.
Symbolism
The combination of the milky-white Liebfraumilch with the champagne will produce a very white drink, where the German very quickly overwhelms the French. The wide-mouthed rocks glass provides breathing room for the drink, which has only one ball, "and a flaming one at that."
Taken together, this is clearly a joke reference to Adolf Hitler, whose bizarre belief in eugenics led him to launch a very quick, very successful blitzkrieg attack on France during the early years of World War II. The attack was meant not only to dispose of a powerful enemy, but also to provide "lebensraum" -- "living-" or "breathing-room" to the people of Germany.
The reference to Hitler's "one ball" comes from the lyrics to a crude song sung by British soldiers, to the tune of the Colonel Bogey March. The song reports that Hitler only has one testicle, while other prominent Nazi party officials are similarly, but not exactly, endowed. The use of the slang word "flaming" in the description refers to another Hitler legend: that he was homosexual.
Although the symbolism renders this primarily a joke recipe, the actual drink produced is unique and quite pleasant. The fiery taste of the cinnamon gives an interesting contrast to the "cooler" flavor of the white wines.
History
This drink originated in Cincinnati, Ohio in the late 1940s, concocted by veteran members of the 82nd Airborne Division. Presumably, the paratroopers had learned the saucy Colonel Bogey lyrics from British troops while stationed in Europe. Although it is not known nationally, the One-Balled Dictator remains a favorite of 82nd Airborne veterans in the Cincinnati area.