[[File:Tea_dance_as_pictured_by_Marguerite_Martyn,_1920.jpg|thumb|right|Men at far right are using a cocktail shaker at a tea dance in this 1920 drawing by artist-reporter Marguerite Martyn for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.]] A cocktail shaker is a device used to mix beverages (usually alcoholic) by shaking. When ice is put in the shaker, this allows for a quicker cooling of the drink before serving. Usage A shaken cocktail is made by putting the desired ingredients (typically liquor, fruit juices, syrups, liqueurs and ice cubes) in the cocktail shaker. Then it is shaken vigorously for around 10 to 18 seconds, depending upon the size and temperature of the ice. Varieties There are at least three varieties of cocktail shaker: The Boston Shaker: A two-piece shaker consisting of a 28 imp fl oz (800 ml) metal bottom and a 16 imp fl oz (450 ml) mixing container made of plastic, metal or (more traditionally) glass. The mixing container and bottom are inserted into each other for shaking or used separately for stirring or muddling. A separate strainer, such as a Hawthorne or Julep strainer, is required for this type shaker if crushed ice is used. Without such a strainer, some bartenders may instead strain by narrowly separating the two pieces after shaking and pouring the drink through the resulting gap. Smaller versions, containing 18 imp fl oz (510 ml) and 20 fl oz (570 ml) are now also available. Beginning in the late 1870s and early 1880s, versions of the Boston Shaker appeared with the metal bottom piece containing integral strainer mechanisms. The Cobbler Shaker: A three-piece cocktail shaker that has tapers at the top and ends with a built-in strainer and includes a cap. The cap can often be used as a measure for spirits or other liquids. The Parisian or French Shaker: A two-piece shaker consisting of a metal bottom and a metal cap. A strainer is always required for this type of shaker, barring the separation method mentioned above. History The cocktail shaker can be traced to 7000 BCE in prehispanic Mexico and South America, where the jar gourd was used as a closed container. In 1520, Hernán Cortés wrote to King Charles V of Spain of a drink made from cacao, served to Montezuma with much reverence, frothy and foaming from a golden cylinder. Egyptians as long ago as 3500 BCE added spices to their fermented grain concoctions before serving to make them more