Page:Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management.djvu/1688

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Americans, although great consumers of iced water at meals, are very fond of composite drinks, mixed immediately before they are taken. Broadly speaking, these drinks are of two kinds: (1) the cocktails, or alcoholic fancy beverages, and (2) the soda drinks, flavoured with fruit syrups or semi-medicinal decoctions. The first class are chiefly remarkable for the many ingredients which enter into their composition, the use of various fresh fruits in addition to lemons and oranges, and the extraordinary names bestowed on many of these beverages. Recipes for a few of the most popular, and apparently permanent, drinks, are given. The soda drinks consist of fruit syrups (such as the French syrups or our raspberry vinegar), which are diluted with iced soda water. Sometimes instead of sweet syrups, druggists' decoctions containing phosphates or extracts of medicinal herbs are used. Syrups, if properly made, strongly flavoured, and added sparingly to plain aerated water (so that it should not be too sweet), make palatable, cooling, and thirst-quenching beverages. Syrups may be easily bought, and now manufacturers place on the market a great number of essences which only require diluting with soda water.

Ingredients.—½ a wineglassful of vermouth, ½ a wineglassful of absinthe, ¼ of a teaspoonful of sugar, crushed ice, a little seltzer.

Method.—Put the vermouth, absinthe and sugar into a glass, add a few small pieces of ice, and shake well. Strain into a small glass, add just a little seltzer water, and serve.

Ingredients.—1 wineglassful of brandy, 1 lump of sugar, 1 or 2 small sprigs of fresh mint, 1 thin slice of orange, 1 thin slice of pineapple, crushed ice.

Method.—Put the lump of sugar into a glass and dissolve it in a few drops of cold water. Add the brandy, mint, and a little crushed ice. On the top place a small piece of orange and a small piece of pineapple, and serve.

Ingredients.—1 wineglassful of good unsweetened gin, 10 drops of rock candy syrup, 10 drops of orange bitters, a small piece of lemon-peel, crushed ice.