1939 The Gentleman's Companion volume II Beeing an Exotic Drinking Book

THE GENTLEMAN'S COMPANION

ORANGE-FLOWER WATER ... A delightful flavouring agent for many delicious drinks like New Orleans Fizzes. Not used in every day practice, but necessary for the average complete mixer. ORGEAT SYRUP ... One of the needed bar flavours, compounded from almonds, orange-flower water, and sugar, see Page 166. Every well– stocked bar must have it; small bars ignore it. PARFAIT AMOUR ... Another of those highly coloured cordials hatched in the fertile and agile brain of France. It is also erroneously conceded improbably persuasive powers, but is very pretty in pousse cafes, and many ladies prefer it with coffee. PEACH BRANDY ... Mainly domestic. It makes a nice, although very sweet, business to take with coffee.... Used in Georgia Mint Julep, as on Page 66. PORT WINE ... Needed in enough unusual cocktails to make it neces– sary on any fairly well stocked shelf. Also an essential after coffee in any civilized community. RUM of THREE BASIC TYPES ... Bacardi, Carta de Oro, and Carta Blanca; which are light brandy-type rums.... Barbados, St. Croix, Haitian, or Demerara rum, which are the darker, medium type... . Jamaica, the dark, richly flavoured type.... All three are needed... . All rums are distilled from fermented sugar cane products.... Watch Demerara rum! We've run into some nice gentle types from there that run 160 proof-or 80% alcohol! The strongest bourbon is only 50%. SAKI ... Japanese rice wine, and much like Chinese rice wine. It is mild, useless for cocktails, but heated quite hot makes the proper ac– companiment for Suki-yaki, the Japanese classical dish. Saki service sets with thimble cups and porcelain bottle are obtainable in larger cities or from Japanese or Chinese restaurant folk. S~ER~Y · · . The dry type makes the finest cocktail known, served as- 1s with a dash of bitters. All bars must have a bottle, for there are still essentially sane people who prefer it to any chilled, mixed drink. . 188 . ROSE WATER . . . Used very rarely; only for the most elaborate bars.

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