Every culture has its share of stomach-churning culinary dares, but few push the boundaries quite like a specific saloon in northern Canada. Here, daring drinkers line up for a rite of passage that makes exotic street food look tame: swallowing a shot of liquor garnished with a real, dehydrated human toe.
What is it called?
One of the world’s most unusual drinks is called the Sourtoe Cocktail. It has turned into a time-honoured tradition in the Canadian city.
Where can you try this unlikely concoction?
It is available at the Sourdough Saloon in Dawson City, Yukon Territory, Canada.
How to order it?
According to Dawson City’s official website, joining this exclusive club takes three easy steps: walk into the Sourdough Saloon, solemnly swear the ‘Sourtoe Oath,’ and watch in horrified fascination as an actual human toe gets plunked into your shot glass.
The site also lists the ingredients used to make the cocktail. Two of them are pretty obvious - alcohol and a dehydrated toe. The third one? Courage. Probably, a lot of it.
Anyone can order the drink, but there is a very important rule that the drinkers need to follow: "You can drink it fast, you can drink it slow, but your lips have gotta touch the toe".
Origin of the Sourtoe Cocktail:
The legend goes back to the 1920s when a rum-runner duo, Louie Linken and his brother Otto, ran into a blizzard during a cross-border delivery. During the journey, Louie’s foot got soaked in ice water, but instead of taking care of it, he kept on moving to avoid the police.
{{/usCountry}}The legend goes back to the 1920s when a rum-runner duo, Louie Linken and his brother Otto, ran into a blizzard during a cross-border delivery. During the journey, Louie’s foot got soaked in ice water, but instead of taking care of it, he kept on moving to avoid the police.
{{/usCountry}}Unfortunately, the decision left his big toe completely frozen, forcing Otto to amputate it. To commemorate this moment, the brothers preserved the toe in a jar of alcohol.
Years later, Captain Dick Stevenson found the toe in the alcohol jar while cleaning out an abandoned cabin. He and his friends then established the Sourtoe Cocktail Club. Over the years, different rules were developed.
In 2019, Stevenson died at the age of 89. Paying tribute to the creator, at that time, the official Dawson City Twitter account posted: “Captain Dick was a true colourful five-percenter who changed Dawson's brand. His legacy is cemented with the Sourtoe Cocktail, but we'll always remember him for his undying love of Dawson City.”
Where do the toes come from?
Since its inception, the club has acquired over 25 toes by donation. In the most recent years, ex-Royal Marine Nick Griffiths donated his severed toe to the club. He lost it to frostbite while competing in an extreme winter marathon.