White Russian (cocktail) Russian" in the sense of a cocktail as appearing in California's "Oakland Tribune" on November 21, 1965. It was placed in the newspaper as an insert: "White Russian. 1 oz. each Southern, vodka, cream", with "Southern" referring to Coffee Southern, a short-lived brand of coffee liqueur by Southern Comfort. Though long regarded as a boring and unsophisticated drink, the White Russian saw a surge in popularity after the 1998 release of the film "The Big Lebowski", throughout which it appears as the protagonist's beverage of choice. As with all cocktails, various modes of preparation exist, varying according to the recipes
Robert Hess (cocktail expert) Robert Hess (cocktail expert) Robert B. Hess is a cocktail expert, a co-founder of the Museum of the American Cocktail, and a technology evangelist for Microsoft. Hess is the author of "The Essential Bartender's Guide: How to Make Truly Great Cocktails" published by Mud Puddle Books in 2008. He is also the host of "The Cocktail Spirit," an online video series published by the Small Screen Network. In late 2008, Hess, along with several other well-known cocktail personalities, founded The Chanticleer Society, a "Worldwide Organization of Cocktail Enthusiasts." Hess also writes a column entitled "Classic Cocktails" for the bi-monthly fine