1908 The World's Drinks and How to Miw Them by Hon Wm Boothby (1st edition)

137

WITTY, WISE .A.ND OTHERWISE.

Affer ser ving rock and rye, a cordial or any drink containing sugar or syrup, great care should be exercised by the presiding mixologist to carefully clean any sticky substance out of the bottom of the glass with the fingers or with a very strong pressure of water from a faucet, because if any such substance remains in the bottom of the glass when it is being wiped, the glass ·can never be polished, the bar towels will become sticky and gummed up, and in consequence every glass that is wiped with that towel afterwards will have a dirty, streaky look. It is positively impossible to keep things polished behind a bar if this rule is not adhered to, and many bartenders have lost their positions in consequence of being careless or ignorant of this very important rule. Always use thin glassware if you wish to have your drinks appreciated; for there is an old adage known to all connoisseurs and lovers of the good things of life that, "A drink of beer tastes as good out of a thin glass as champagne does out of a cup." The iceing of wines is of great importance ; but how few bartenders pay attention to this subject~ Clarets and Burgundies should never be cooled in any manner, but should be kept and drank at a temperature of about seventy degrees Fahrenheit. Hocks, Reislings and Sauternes can be kept at any temperature without injury, but it is advisable to keep them cool. Ice may be served in the glass with these wines, and the flavor will not be much impaired thereby; but the flavor of champagne is always injured by serving in this manner. The proper way to treat effervescent wines is to ice the bottle well before uncorking. Cognacs should always be kept at an even temperature, as extreme heat or cold is very injurious to them; b.ut whiskies of all kinds are much more palatable when iced, and the liquor is not impaired thereby. Malt liquors of all kinds should be served at a temperature somewhat colder than the surrounding atmosphere. · I n drawing a cork from a bottle of any effervesce1_it liquid, always hold the bottle in an oblique position, as near horizontal as possible, without getting the mouth of the bottle below the surface line of the contents. Hold the bottle in this position for a few moments before stan