Of all compound drinks, those having wine for their basis require the greatest care in their preparation and the greatest nicety in their composition. This will be evident to any one who remembers the fact that not one wine-drinker out of twenty, except by subterfuge or previous practice, can distinguish, with his eyes closed, a glass of sherry from one of port, although, when wide awake, no one ever confounds the two; and there are few who cannot distinguish a glass of fine old white port when they have the chance of tasting it.

It is not our object, however, to discourse on the merits of particular wines, but to give recipes for the blending of such as are most palatable and wholesome. First on the list we place Claret Cup, as the most agreeable, wholesome, easily compounded, and easily obtained, and because, under the new tariff, most people have learned to distinguish the difference between the two varieties of French wines, more or less, though at present, we fear, to use an expression of Charles Dickens, "generally less."

Claret Cup, No. 1.

To a bottle of Bordeaux claret add two wine-glasses of sherry and a wine-glass of Maraschino, with a small quantity of powdered lump sugar. Let the above be well iced and put into a cup, and, immediately before drinking, add a bottle of soda-water which has also been previously iced, and stick in two sprigs of borage.

Claret Cup, No. 2.

To each bottle of ordinary claret add a bottle of soda-water, a glass of sherry or CuraÇoa, the peel of a lemon cut very thin, with powdered sugar according to taste. Let the whole stand an hour or two before serving, and then add some clear ice.

Claret Cup, No. 3.

To the above add a few slices of cucumber, or some sprigs of borage instead of cucumber.

Claret Cup, No. 4.

As No. 2, except the lemon-peel, for which substitute, when in season, a pint of ripe raspberries, or four or five peaches or nectarines cut in slices. This is a most delicious beverage.

Mulled Claret.

The best way of mulling claret is simply to heat it with a sufficient quantity of sugar and a stick of cinnamon. To this a small quantity of brandy may be added, if preferred.

Burgundy Cup.

To a bottle of Burgundy wine add a wine-glass of noyau, three wine-glasses of pine-apple syrup, one wine-glass of brandy, and a quarter of a pound of powdered sugar; ice well; add a bottle of seltzer- or soda-water before drinking, and serve with a sprig of borage.

Hock Cup, No. 1.

To a bottle of hock add three wine-glasses of sherry, one lemon sliced, and some balm or borage. Let it stand two hours; sweeten to taste, and add a bottle of seltzer-water.

Hock Cup, No. 2.

"May-Trank" is a most popular beverage on the Rhine. Take with each bottle of light hock about a dozen sprigs of woodruff, a quarter of an orange cut in small slices, and about two ounces of powdered sugar. The herbs are to be removed, after having been in the wine half an hour. A bottle of sparkling wine added to four or five bottles of still hock is a great improvement. A little ice is recommended.

Hock Cup, No. 3.

Instead of woodruff and orange take to each bottle of hock about half a pint of highly flavoured strawberries. Sugar as above. The fruit is to be taken with the wine after having been in it about an hour.

Hock Cup, No. 4.

Take some thin slices of pine-apple instead of the strawberries.

Hock Cup, No. 5.

Take to each bottle of hock two highly flavoured peaches peeled and cut in slices. Sugar as above.

Champagne Cup.

To a bottle of champagne add a wine-glass of Madeira or sherry, a liqueur-glass of Maraschino, two slices of Seville orange-peel, and one slice of lemon-peel. Before drinking, pour in a bottle of seltzer-water, and serve with a sprig of verbena or a very small piece of thinly cut peeling of cucumber.

Moselle Cup, No. 1.

To a bottle of Moselle add a sweet orange sliced, a leaf or two of mint, sage, borage, and the black currant. Let this stand for three hours; strain off, and sweeten to taste with clarified sugar.

Moselle Cup, No. 2.

To each bottle of still or sparkling Moselle add one bottle of soda-water, a glass of sherry or brandy, four or five thin slices of pine-apple, the peel of half a lemon cut very thin, and powdered sugar according to taste: let the whole stand about an hour, and before serving add some lumps of clear ice.

Moselle Cup, No. 3.

As No. 2, except the pine-apple, for which substitute a pint of fresh strawberries, or three or four peaches or nectarines.

Moselle Cup, No. 4.

As No. 2, but add, instead of fruit, some sprigs of woodruff. Woodruff is a herb much used on the Rhine for making May-Trank, its peculiar flavour being most powerful in May: it grows in forests in many parts of England.

Moselle Cup, No. 5.

When neither fruit nor woodruff can be obtained, add, instead of sherry or brandy, a glass or two of milk-punch, or essence of punch, and a little more of the lemon-peel.

Cutler's Moselle Cup.

Half a pound of loaf sugar steeped in water to saturation, one orange thinly sliced, a handful of fresh young woodruff, and two bottles of Moselle.

N.B. Hock may be substituted for Moselle.

A bottle of Bordeaux added to the foregoing improves it.

Mulled Port.

To a bottle of matured port add a wine-glass of sherry, some cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a small piece of bruised lemon-peel. Simmer the spice in a little water, then add the wine; heat, but do not let it boil, and sweeten.

Mulled Sherry.

The same as for mulled port, with the addition of a wine-glass of brandy.

Sherry Cobler.

Fill a tumbler three parts full of pounded ice, to which add two wine-glasses of sherry, a tablespoonful of brandy, two teaspoonfuls of powdered sugar, and two or three small pieces of lemon. Pour the mixture rapidly from one tumbler to another several times, throw in half a dozen strawberries, and drink the mixture through a straw, or stick of maccaroni.

Cider Cup.

To a quart of cider add half a lemon squeezed, three tablespoonfuls of powdered lump sugar, two wine-glasses of pale brandy, a wine-glass of CuraÇoa, two slices of lemon, with grated nutmeg on the top. Ice well, and serve with borage.

Morgan's Herefordshire Cup.

To two bottles of cider add a bottle of port and a bottle of soda-water, orange-peel, and plenty of sugar. Ice well and serve with borage.

Donaldson's Cider Cup.

To a bottle of cider add one wine-glass of sherry, one liqueur-glass of orange-brandy, half a liqueur-glass of CuraÇoa, and before drinking add a bottle of seltzer-water, a sprig of mint, and two or three lumps of ice.

The "Field" Cider Cup.

Mix together two quarts of old bottled cider, sweeten to taste, taking care that the sugar is perfectly melted, add half a nutmeg grated, a little powdered ginger, a glass of brandy, a glass of noyau, cut a lemon into it in moderately thin slices, and let it remain there. Make it two hours before wanted, and stand in some ice. There is no better recipe than the above.

White's Club House Cup.

Three bottles of claret, one bottle of water, one wine-glass of Madeira, a liqueur-glass of Maraschino, four sweet oranges, three thin slices of cucumber or a piece of borage, half a pint of sirup, the flower and young part of borage, orange sliced with the peel; let it stand for three hours, then stir the sirup in one pound of sugar to half a pint of water, boiled till it thickens.

Loving Cup.

One pint of mountain wine, one of Madeira, and one of Lisbon, one bottle of champagne, one liqueur-glass of pale brandy, three thin slices of lemon, sugar, nutmeg. Ice to taste.

Djonka (a Russian Beverage).

One pound and a half of lump sugar in very large lumps, one bottle of Cognac, one bottle of sherry or Madeira, three bottles of Moselle or hock, one bottle of champagne, half a pound of blanched almonds, the thinly shred rind of four lemons, four peaches sliced, or one pine-apple or preserved fruit. These are the ingredients. Now to prepare the nectar. On a large well-tinned copper stewpan place a gridiron, and on the gridiron the big lumps of sugar. Pour by degrees the Cognac over the sugar, lighting it as you pour it on. The sugar dissolves through the bars of the gridiron, and the spirit is burnt out: this constitutes caramel. Next add the sherry and fruity materials, which allow to digest for fifteen minutes, after which pour in the Moselle, and transfer the compound into a bowl. On serving add a bottle of champagne. Serve round in flat champagne-glasses with a spoon to each for extracting the fruit. (Cutler.)

ODE TO BEER.