Legends abound over the origin of the Shirley Temple, which traditionally features ginger ale or lemon-lime soda, grenadine, and maraschino cherries. One rumor claimed that the iconic child star was once out with her parents and was jealous she couldn't have an Old Fashioned with them, so the restaurant created a non-alcoholic version with a cherry on top.
The Royal Hawaiian Hotel said it was their bartenders who created the drink for Shirley Temple, who often vacationed there. But in 1986, Temple told NPR that the drink was actually created at Brown Derby Restaurant in Hollywood in the mid-1930s and she "had nothing to do with it." In fact, she wasn't even a fan.
"All over the world, I am served that," she said. "People think it's funny. I hate them. Too sweet!"
Unlike the child star, I'm a huge fan of Shirley Temples. I drank them all the time as a kid, thinking it made me fancy as I sat with my parents in whatever suburban chain we were into at the time (Marie's Callender's, Applebee's, etc.). Catching the cherry stem with my straw felt like a special expedition, and it was such a treat slurping down the bright-red concoction. It's probably no surprise that I grew up to love sweet coffees and cocktails.