1954 Practical Bar Management by Eddie Clarke

THE ART OF MIXING

liqueurs), and something else. What that"something else"is, can be anyone's guess. The point to establish is that this type of drink can be taken before or after a meal, which is not always appreciated, yet it seems reasonable enough, as one of the ingre dients is a liqueur and has long been considered a digestive aid to the gourmet. Typical examples of these are the Stinger, the Classic, and the Alexander. The last-named cocktail is most popular with the fairer sex as a pleasant substitute when asked to join the gentlemen for a Vintage Port. By the mere male the cocktail is generally looked upon as more of a"bracer"—something which will relax the nerve strings, and drive away the worrying cares of the day. For him it should not be too sweet or,for that matter, not too bitter or aromatic, it must be palatable with enough"uplift" to make him enjoy living again. There are times though when our hero has a troubled stomach,an aching brow,orsome other such bodily ailment,which falls to the lot of mankind, and journeying forth he will seek out his favourite bartender and beg for a reliable cure to ease his torment and thereby thwart the benefactors under his will. Since Pharmacy and Herbs are closely connected, and since so many herbs figure in the making of liqueurs and bitters, etc., it is not surprising that some of these drinks have definite healing properties. Consequently the cocktail (although not accepted amongst prescriptionsunderthe National Health Scheme)becomes a pleasant medicine, providing the bartender knows what to give, when to give it, and what to give it for. In passing it is worth noting that when mixing these drinks the shaker comes into its own and it is possible to give more variety in colouring and general presentation, since clarity is not so essential as in the case of the Aperitif. Following these two classifications of mixtures (the Aperitif and the Cocktail) there is an assortment of concoctions, namely. Sours, Fizzes, Flips, Noggs, Coolers, Cobblers and others, but stay ; we seem to be getting into deep water,so before proceeding further let's pay attention to some of the golden rules of mixing and study a few ofthe useful tips. USEFUL HINTS ON MIXING I. Ice Place the ice in the shaker first, in this way it chills

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