Main Piece:

“It’s a vodka, a raspberry liqueur and lime juice. It all goes in a single shot. On the night before my parents wedding night, my dad was feeling really sick so he went to the bar and the bartender said that this would cure all his ills. I guess it’s a panacea.”

Background:

The informant is a 19- year-old female from St. Louis, Missouri. However, she now lives in Los Angeles and attends the University of Southern California. She lived in St. Louis Missouri for the first 18 years of her life. It was here where her father first told her the story of the Purple Hooter. He said that it worked and the next day he felt a lot better. The shot is to be taken at any time that someone needs a pick-me-up. The informant herself, not being 21, has never tried the shot.

Context:

The informant is one of my college roommates, who I asked to relate any folk beliefs or legends she had for the purpose of a project.

My Thoughts:

I think that this is a classic example of folk remedy, where an unexpected drink acts as a panacea. It’s a remedy that has little scientific backing but was reported by the informant as successful. I think considering the proximity of the event to a wedding, it could possibly be explained as alcohol helping pre-wedding jitters. However, I also think that a lot of cultures have different beliefs surrounding alcohol as a remedy for illness, particularly alluding to its ability to kill germs.