1876 Bar-Tender's Guide by Jerry Thomas

THE BALL.

105

14. The Blow. Continue boiling the syi'up. Take your skimmer and dip it into the sugar,then shake it over the pan, hold it befoie you, and blo^w through the holes. If you perceive small bubbles, or little sparkling bladders, on the other side of the skimmer,these are signs that you have pro duced what is called the"Blow." 15. The Feather. When you have boiled the mixture a little more,and again dipped the skimmer into it, and after shaking it, find,upon blowing through the holes,that bubbles are pro duced in much greater quantities, then you may be sure the"Feather" has been made. Another sign, after dip- ping the skimmer,is to shake it extra hard,in order to get offthe sugar; if it has acquired this degree, you will see the melted sugar hanging from the skimmer like silk or flying flax; whence it is termed by theFrench d la grande plume. To know when the "BaU" has been acquired, you must first dip the forefinger into a basin of cold water; now apply your finger to the syrup, taking up a little on the tip; then quickly dip it into the water again. If upon rolling the sugar -with the thumb, you can make it into a small ball, you may be sure that what is termed the "Small Ball" has been produced. When you can make a larger and harder ball, which you could not bite without its adhering unpleasantly to the teeth,you may be satisfied jthat it is the"Large BaU." 6* 16. The Ball.