"Basque cocktail of the West" could become the State drink of Nevada

Picon Punch, a refreshing cold drink made with Amer Picon, soda water, grenadine, brandy and lemon peel also known as the "Basque cocktail of the West" could become the State drink of Nevada, United States, if Nevada legislators approve a measure proposed by Assemblyman William Horne to make the Picon Punch the official state drink.

According to Basque news website Euskal Kazeta, the origins of Picon Punch, a "perennial favourite at Basque festivals and restaurants for generations", are not clear but it seems that the cocktail was first mixed by Basque immigrants who went to Nevada to herd sheep.

The Las Vegas-area lawmaker says he is spearheading the effort because of the Basques' longtime history in Nevada. The proposal is being added to a bill on state parks and is being considered during the current legislative session, which ends in a few weeks.

The drink is featured at such restaurants as Louis' Basque Corner in Reno and the Star Hotel in Elko, which are among the most popular ethnic restaurants in the state.

If the bill passes, it will be added to a list of other state emblems that includes some such as the state flag, trees (single-leaf pinon and bristlecone pine), flower (sagebrush), bird (Mountain Bluebird), animal (Desert Bighorn Sheep), precious gemstone (Virgin Valley black fire opal), rock (sandstone) or tartan (a woolen cloth woven designed by Richard Zygmunt Pawlowski).