1895 The Mixicologist (First Edition) by C F Lawlor

TH15 MIXICOJLOGIST.

142

THE MODEL BARTENDER.

He should be a man of good cliaracter, straight Personal habits, good temper, cheerful, obliging, wide-awake, quick, graceful, attentive, sympathetic, yet too Smart to be “ worked,” neither grum nor too talkative, of neat appearance and well dressed. He should study the tastes of the patrons. For in­ stance, in mixing a cocktail most clerks make the mistake of putting in too much bitters, in which case the drink is spoiled, or rather, is unpalatable to the customer. Most men like but very little bitters. You should, in order to become proficieut and popu- lar, study ail the points in the mixing of ail drinks. There can be too much syrup or sugar, lemon juice or other ingrédient used, in the same way as too much bitters in a cocktail. This is a profession that every man can not master. There are men who would not make a first-class bar-clerk in a lifetime. A clerk should not encourage “ liangers-on,” loung- ers, or men under the influence of drink. In fact, he should never sell or give to a man in his cups, for this feature casts the greatest odium on our busi­ ness, which could be made as legitimate as any if in the hands of proper persous.