1906 A Bachelor's Cupboard

A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD Correct Wines for all Occasions pours a very small glass of Madeira, rum, or some- thing similar. Whatever other wine his fancy dic- tates follows — as in France it is posible to obtain the finest of wines by the glass. At private dinners in Russia the wines are often placed upon the tables, w^hich are free from dinner The guests pour their own wines, or have them poured by the servant, according to their fancy. The plats de jour are on side tables, and the guests are presented with a carte du jour, so that each may order the servant to bring whatever most pleases his fancy. In most other European countries, in good society, the French mode is imitated closely in variety of wines and the mode of taking them. In countries where ice is not easily obtainable a cu- rious fashion of cooling white wines is follow^ed. The decanter is hung up in a flannel bag that has previously been well soaked in water, in the full glare of the sun's rays where there is a strong '' courant d'air/* The consequent evaporation by keeping the bag dripping wet cools the wine almost to freezing point. The water of a covered well or spring, fresh drawn, in which a pound or two of salt is thrown, will reduce the temperature of wine to a low and agreeable point. The Italians still hold to the old custom of lowering the dinner w^ine into a well an hour or two before use, which generally renders its temperature just right. Where expense be no object, freezing mixtures may be used. Eleven parts of sal ammoniac, dry and pow- dered, ten of nitre, sixteen of Glauber salts, and thirty- 170 service.