1935 Old Waldorf-Astoria Bar Book

VI. GLOSSARIAL

SOME THINGS MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT LIQUORS F OR the benefit of antiquarians and serious students of American mores-as well as for the information of those who like to know what's in a name or two, when ap– plied to liquor-the author has deemed it expedient to append a brief Glossary, which may serve to uncork certain useful and perhaps entertaining particulars concerning spirits and other things mentioned in the Formulary portion of this book. To begin with, take "Berries." As used in the text, ''Ber– ries," it should be emphasized, does not mean dollars– simply small fruit usually growing on vines or diminutive plants. "Mug,'' as employed, does not signify a face, or "to photograph," as commonly applied these days; but a container made of glass, crockery, or stone, with a handle, and used for dispensing ale, cider, or, infrequently, beer. A "lemon" is a small yellow fruit; and "lemon peel," of course, is the rind. ~ The word "Egg,'' as frequently used, should be taken in a literal and primitive sense. In the days when recipes were written down in the Old Bar Book, the term "Pittsburgh Steel 1\1glionaire" had not yet been synonymously super– seded in Manhattanese by "Big Butter and Egg Man,'' and at the Old WaldorfBar "Good Egg" was synchronous and synonymous with "Fresh Egg." Whatever metaphori- 166