1869 Drinking Cups and their Customs (Mixellany)

CUPS ANB THEIR CUSTOMS.

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was enjoying, the water was the only constituent of English production, and that the brandy, lemon, spice, and sngar were all foreigners.

WINE CUPS. OF all compound drinks, those having wine for their basis require the greatest care in their preparation and the greatest nicety in their composition. This will be evident to any one who remembers the fact that not one wine-drinker out of twenty, except by sub- terfuge or previous practice, can distinguish, with his eyes closed, a glass of sherry from one of port, although, when wide awake, no one ever confounds the two; and there are few who cannot distinguish a glass of fine old white port when they have the chance of tasting it. It is not our object, however, to discourse on the merits of particular wines, but to give recipes for the blending of such as are most palatable and whole- some, First on the list we place Claret Cup, as the most agreeable, wholesome, easily compounded, and easily obtained, and because, under the new tariff, most people have learned to distinguish the difference be- tween the two varieties of French wines, more or less, though at present, we fear, to use an expression of Charles Dickens, u generally less/ 3