1876 The Bar-Tenders' Guide or How to Mix all kinds of Plain and Fancy Drinks by Jerry Thomas

■* PREFACE, Bank of England, a small drinking saloon that liad boon set np "by a peripatetic American, at the door of wliicli was placed a board covered with the unique titles of the American raised drinks supposed to be pre pared w ithin that limited establishment. The " Connecticut eye-open ers and " Alabama fog-cutters," together with the "lightning-smaslies" and the 'thunderbolt-cocktails," created a piofonnd sensation in the crowd assembled to peruse the Xectarian bill of fare, if they did not produce custom. It struck us, then, that a list of all the social drinks tiie composite beverages, if we may call them so—of America, would really bo one of the curiosities of jovial literature; and that if it was combined witli a catalogue of the mi.stures common to other nations, and made practically useful by the addition of a concise description of the various processes for " brewing" each, it would bo a " blessing to mankind." Tliere would be no excuse for imbibing, ndth such a book at hand, the "viUainous compounds" of bar-keeping Goths end Vandals, who know no more of the amenities of hon vivant existence than a Hot tentot c.an know of the houquet of champa<>-ne. "There's philosophy," says Father Tomln the drc,ria, "even in a jug of punch." IVe claim tlie credit of "philosopiiy teachir.g by example," then, to no ordinary extent in the composition of tiiis volume; for our inde.x e.xhibits tlie title of eighty-six different kinds cf punches, togotlior with a universe of cobblers, juleps, bitters, cups, slir.gg, shrubs, Ac., each and all of which the reader is carefully educated how to conccct in the choicest manner. For tho perfection of tlus education, the name, alone, of Jirry Thomas is a sulficient guarantee. Ue has travelled Europe and .Vmcrica in search of all that is recondite in this hranch of the spirit art. He has been the Jupiter Olympus of the bar at the Metropolitan Hotel In this city. lie was the presiding deity at the Planter's House, St. Louis. lie iias been tlie proprietor of one of tho most recherche saloons in Xew Orleans as well as in Mew York. His very name is synonymous in the lexicon of mixed drinks, with all that is raro and original. To tlie " Wine Press," edited by F. S. Cozzens, Esq., we are indebted for the composition of several valuable punches, and among them we may particularize the celebrated "Kureraburgli," and the equally famous "Pliilndeipliia Fish House" punch. The rest we owe to the inspiration of Jerry Thomas himself, and as lie is as inexorable as the Medes and rcrsians in his principle that no excellent drink can be made out of any tJjing but excellent materia s, wo coiiceivo tliat vte are safe in assert ing tJiat wJjatever may be prepared after ids instructions will he able to speak eloquently for itself '"Good wine needs no bush," Sliakospcara talU us and over one of Jerry's mixtures eulogy is quite as redundant.