Molly McGinnity, You’re My Affinity

The word “affinity” leapt into particular use at the end of 1907. On October 28, the New York Sun published a cocktail recipe by that name (the “original” recipe, below). November 9 brought an unpopular movie with the title The Affinity. November 23 saw a song published called Molly McGinnity, You’re My Affinity. January 28 of the next year was the opening date of The Soul Kiss, and part of Act 1 was the song, My Affinity. At that point it’s possible, if a little rushed, that there could be some connection. Surely the movie was underway before the drink was made – or was the cocktail formulated by someone with inside knowledge of the upcoming silent film?

It’s terribly convoluted, and honestly, there are more examples from within a year or two of that point. It seems that the word had become fashionable.

That’s not the trouble the Affinity drink has today, though.

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