1933 Mixer's Guide

124

MIXER'S GUIDE

antwist the wire and carefully draw the cork. Have a napkin wrapped around the neck of the bottle and as soon as the cork is out pour a little into the glass of the host first. Then serve from the right. Care should be taken that the wine flows out smoothly and if gently poured on the side of the glass the ebullition of the wine will be checked sufficiendy so that the goblet can be filled without overflowing. The napkin around the botde is to keep the wine from the heat of the hands and to protect the table cloth. When mineral waters are contained in siphons, they should be cooled gradually, and should not be permitted to stand in con tact with the ice. The thickness of the glass out of which siphons are constructed affords the necessary resistance to the expansion of the gas they contain and yet they are more liable to crack on account of unequal contraction if only one portion of the siphon has been touching the ice. A moderate degree of coolness will suffice for cordials, syrups and bitters and they need not be laid on ice, as only small quantities of these are used for mixing and flavoring. Claret, rhine wines, sherry, port, etc., should be handled with an extra amount of care. Be particular to avoid shaking when serving them and especially while drawing the cork so as to prevent the sediment which might be in the bottle from being disturbed. Botdes containing these types of wine should when laid away be placed on the side in order to keep the corks moist, and should be kept in a place where the temperamre is nearly even all the year around. Old Cognac loses its smoothness or velvet when it is chilled while brandy or other liquors require only a moderate temperature. Whisky is usually kept on ice.