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

THE EXOTIC DRINKING BOOK

tion for the imminent male in the stoniest feminine breast. It causes her to think that here in truth is a monstrous clever fellow, a man above other men. Don't disillusion her. ... For this routine have two cups and a fire extinguisher handy. Really strong black coffee, 2 cups

Brandy, (Elaborate but worth it!) rYz cups or so Peel of orange and lemon, both pared off very thin Sugar, 8 lumps (Some use four to six) Whole cloves, 4; or more, to taste

First warm your silver bowl-for china may crack. Put in peel, spice, and pour in brandy. Light candle and cut lights..Heat ladle by hold– ing beside candle flame-not over it because of soot. Dip up a couple tablespoons of brandy, and put in two of sugar. Set alight and lower ladle into bowl-being sure that neither your Perfect One nor your own eyebrows are too close when it puffs into a blaze.... Now dip up a ladle full and let it fall back, then after the proper applause start putting in coffee gradually, ladling busily all the time. Finally the flame will flicker and die, and before our audience's interest flickers and ~ies, ladle into demitasse cups. The SHANGHAI COSSACK PUNCH, CoME upon at a MosT VUL– NERABLE & RoMANTic MoMENT, which SHALL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN; and a FABRICATION which WE HAVE always HELD to BE the FINEST HoT DRINK ExTANT Those of us who knew Shanghai before the red Russians were chased out and the white Russians were dissipated and scattered to the four corners of the globe, remember what we remember. We recall one drizzly afternoon after the races, a house in the French Concession whose host again it is not necessary to mention, and among other in– teresting selvages of that afternoon-the following, fetched by him from Siberia during those incredible days when Kolchak's army was dispersed. . . . This day it was served hot, in tall Russian coffee glasses. . 55 .