Zima (drink)
| Cocktail | |
|---|---|
 The Zima | |
| Type | Non-alcoholic mixed drink |
| Standard garnish | Maraschino cherry |
| Commonly used ingredients |
Ginger ale Grenadine |
A Zima is a non-alcoholic mixed drink traditionally made with ginger ale, a splash of grenadine syrup, and garnished with a maraschino cherry. When served with alcohol, usually by adding 50 ml of vodka or rum, the drink becomes a Dirty Zima. The traditional Zima is among the most famous "mocktails" for people who cannot drink alcohol.
According to legend, the drink was first popularized by Vice President of the United Commonwealth Samson Zima, who was known to often request the drink during the 1930s. In 2002, the Continental documentary Dining with Revolutionaries attempted to investigate the history of the drink, coming to the conclusion that the name caught on after Zima ordered the drink at the 20th Anniversary of the Continental Revolution celebration in 1937. As one witness retold, "I heard a few people say 'I'll have that Zima drink, too' on that day." Archived menus from the famous downtown Chicago restaurant Redhouse, which Zima was known to have frequented, show the Zima being a mainstay going back to at least the 1940s. According to Zima's grandson Jack Zima, Zima preferred the alcoholic version, but may have come up with the recipe to entertain his grandchildren.