CHAPTER XV STILL HARPING ON THE DRINK |
Sangaree — Slings — John Collins — Smashes — Sour beverages — Home Ruler — Burning brandy — A prairie oyster — A turkey ditto — About negus, for white-frock and black-mitten parties — Egg nogg — A doctor — A surgeon-major — A new locomotive — Rumfustian — Pope — Bull’s milk — A bosom caresser — The Colleen Bawn — Possets — Sir Fleetwood Fletcher. “Sangaree” is generally associated with soft-shell crabs and “yellow Jack”; nevertheless here are a few recipes for concocting the drink, in its various forms. Ale Sangaree. Put into a large tumbler a teaspoonful of sifted sugar, and a tablespoonful of water to dissolve it. Add a small lump of ice, and fill up with a mixture of bitter and Burton ales. Dust with nutmeg. This drink may also be served hot, without the ice; need it be added?
Brandy Sangaree. Put into a small tumbler one teaspoonful of sugar, half a wine-glassful of water, one wine-glassful {163} of brandy, and fill up with crushed ice. Mix with a spoon, dash the top with port wine, and grated nutmeg.
Gin Sangaree is made in exactly the same way, substituting Old Tom for brandy. Port Wine Sangaree. A small tumbler, a glass and a half of port, and a teaspoonful of sugar. Add crushed ice, shake well, strain into another glass, and dust with nutmeg.
Porteree is made like ale sangaree, with the substitution of porter for ale. And in Sherry Sangaree the wine of Spain takes the place of the wine of Portugal. Slings can be made with brandy, gin, or whisky. The Americans mix a wine-glassful of the spirit with half a wine-glassful of water, a teaspoonful of sifted sugar, and a lump of ice. In England soda-water is mixed with the spirit. What we call a gin-sling is known in the United States as a John Collins, but in certain regimental messes this “John” used not to be considered properly attired without {164} the addition of a little curaÇoa—the quantity varying with the effect it was intended to produce upon the unsuspecting guest. Occasionally, at about sunrise, boiling water was substituted for soda-water. Brandy Smash. Put into a small tumbler half a tablespoonful of sifted sugar, one tablespoonful of water and a wine-glassful of old brandy; add crushed ice, and shake well. Put in a sprig or two of mint, with two slices of orange on the top, and drink through a straw.
Champagne Smash. Small tumbler, tablespoonful of sugar; ice, and fill up with champagne. Add mint, as in above recipe, and serve with a straw.
Gin Smash. Small tumbler, teaspoonful of sugar, half a wine-glassful of water, and a wine-glassful of gin. Add ice, mint, and a slice or two of orange. Serve with a straw.
Whisky Smash is made in the same way, substituting whisky (Irish or Scotch) for gin. Santa Cruz Smash. Put into a small tumbler one teaspoonful of sugar, half a wine-glassful of water, and a wine-glassful of Santa Cruz, or white rum. Add crushed ice, and mint. Serve with a straw. {165}
Apple Jack Sour is but seldom called for in this tight little island. In America it is made in a large tumbler, with half a tablespoonful of sugar, the juice of half a lemon, a squirt of Seltzer water from a syphon, and a wine-glassful of old cider brandy. Nearly fill the glass with crushed ice, and ornament with any fruit in season.
Bourbon Sour. Small tumbler, one teaspoonful of sugar, the juice and rind of a quarter of a lemon, one wine-glassful of Bourbon whisky. Add crushed ice, shake well, and strain.
Brandy Sour is exactly the same potion, with the substitution of brandy for Bourbon whisky. And Whisky Sour is the same, made with whisky. At the Bengal Club, Calcutta, the Gin Sour has attained to renown. A large tumbler is used, the juice of six limes is squeezed therein, care being taken to remove the pips. A wine-glassful of Old Tom is added, then a liqueur-glassful of raspberry syrup, three quarters of a liqueur-glassful of orange bitters, a wine-glassful of water, and three drops of Angostura bitters. Nearly fill the tumbler with crushed ice, and shake. {166}
Sherry Sour. Put into a small tumbler one teaspoonful of sugar, the juice and rind of a quarter of a lemon, one wine-glassful of sherry, and nearly fill the tumbler with crushed ice. Shake, strain, and dash with strawberry syrup.
Home Ruler was a favourite drink at the bars of the House of Commons, during the reign of the Uncrowned King. The yolks of two eggs, well beaten, were placed in a large tumbler, a little sifted sugar was added, and a small tumblerful of hot milk was gradually stirred into the mixture. Last of all a large wine-glassful of “John Jameson” was added.
A curious recipe comes from Switzerland, an elaborate method of Burning Brandy, or any other spirit but gin. Cut the top off a lemon, and hollow out the interior with the handle-end of a spoon. Place the empty cone thus formed by the skin on the top of a large wine-glass. Fill the cone with brandy, rum, or whisky; take a fork, balance a piece of sugar on the prongs, set the spirit alight, and hold the sugar over the flame until it has melted into the cone. Then take a skewer, and pierce a small hole in the base of the cone. When all the spirit has trickled into the glass, throw the cone away, and drink the result. {167}
“This process,” says my informant, writing from Davos, “sanctifies good liquor, and makes inferior ditto distinctly welcome.” A Prairie Oyster serves as a valuable restorative of vital power. The origin of this popular pick-me-up is said to be as follows:— “Some years since three men were encamped on Texas Prairie, 500 miles from the sea-coast, when one of them was sick unto death with fever, and was frantically crying out for oysters; he was quite sure that if he could only have an oyster or two he would be cured. After much thought as to how they were to procure what he wanted, one of them, having procured some prairie hens’ eggs, not far from the camp, broke one, and putting the yolk into a glass, sprinkled it with a little salt and pepper, adding a little vinegar, and gave it to his sick companion, who declared it was just the thing he wanted; and from that hour he began to get better, and eventually got quite well.” Turkey Oyster is the yolk of a turkey’s egg treated after the above fashion, and is said to be “greatly in vogue with athletes.” But if the athlete be wise he will not omit to swallow the white of the egg as well. The name “negus” is suggestive of a children’s party—as well as of the east coast of {168} Africa; ’tis a comparatively harmless beverage, said to have been invented by one Colonel Negus. Port Wine Negus. Put a pint of port wine into a jug, and rub a quarter of a pound of sugar, in lumps, on the rind of a lemon; then squeeze the juice of the lemon and strain it, adding the sugar and lemon juice to the port wine, with a little grated nutmeg. Add to this a quart of boiling water, cover the jug, and when cool the beverage will be fit for use.
Sherry Negus is made with an extra quarter of a pound of sugar; and a wine-glassful of noyeau or maraschino may be added. Egg Nogg is a bile-raiser, which is made in a large tumbler, and therefore comes under the heading of “Long Drinks.” Beat up an egg with a tablespoonful of sifted sugar; add one tablespoonful of boiling water, one wine-glassful of brandy, and one wine-glassful of rum. Fill up the tumbler with boiling milk, mix well, and dust with nutmeg.
Sherry Egg Nogg One egg beaten up with a tablespoonful of sugar in a large tumbler, two glasses of sherry; fill up with boiling milk, mix, and dust with nutmeg.
“In another place,” I gave the recipe for {169} A Doctor, which is a cold edition of the above, and may also be made with brandy or whisky. In A Surgeon-Major, which is a still more valuable—and more expensive—restorative, two eggs are used, and the tumbler is filled up with the choicest brand of champagne kept on the premises. Blue Blazer is a “grateful, comforting” drink in cold weather. And it is advisable that the nerves of the mixer be in thoroughly good order, and that he (or she) be steady of hand. Put into a silver cup, which has been previously heated, a wine-glassful of Scotch whisky (proof) and one wine-glassful of boiling water; set on fire, and have ready another cup, also heated, and pass the blazing liquid from one cup to the other, three or four times. Serve in a small tumbler with a little sugar and lemon.
If a good dispensing chemist be within easy reach, the searcher after the hidden truth may try a Locomotive. Beat two eggs with a little honey in a jug, add a pinch of ground cloves and a liqueur-glass of curaÇoa; then add, beating all the time, one pint of burgundy made boiling hot. Dust with nutmeg. {170}
Rumfustian. Beat up in a large tumbler or jug the yolks of two eggs, with a tablespoonful of sugar; then take half a pint of Burton ale, one wine-glassful of gin, one wine-glassful of sherry, a little spice, and the rind of a quarter of a lemon. Let the ale, wine, and gin, mixed together, come to the boil, then pour into the egg mixture, whisking rapidly; serve hot, with a dash of nutmeg atop.
Pope is a compound of burgundy and brandy (not too much brandy, please) with a little sugar added, poured over two Seville oranges, roasted and cut into quarters. The mixture is then boiled and strained. But, personally, I am not partial to this pope, which is even nastier when made with champagne.
Bull’s Milk. Put into a large tumbler one teaspoonful of icing-sugar, with half a pint of milk, one-third of a wine-glassful of rum, and two-thirds of a wine-glassful of brandy; add crushed ice, shake well, strain into another glass, and dust with cinnamon and nutmeg.
Brandy Champirelle is another importation from the land of the stars and stripes. Take a small tumbler and bestow therein one wine-glassful of brandy, six drops of Angostura bitters, a liqueur-glassful of curaÇoa, and some crushed ice. Shake well, and strain. {171}
Black Stripe. Mix in a small tumbler one wine-glassful of Santa Cruz, or white rum, one tablespoonful of golden syrup, and one tablespoonful of water; fill the tumbler with crushed ice, and shake well. For a winter drink, substitute boiling water for ice, and grate a little nutmeg atop.
Bosom Caresser. Small tumbler, one wine-glassful of sherry, half a wine-glassful of brandy, the yolk of an egg, two teaspoonfuls of sugar, and two grains of cayenne pepper. Add ice, shake well, strain, and dust with nutmeg and cinnamon.
Colleen Bawn. Small tumbler, one egg beaten with a teaspoonful of sugar, one-third of a wine-glassful of yellow chartreuse, and like quantities, respectively, of benedictine and rye whisky; shake well, strain, and dust with cinnamon, nutmeg, and pink sugar.
Although the word “Posset” suggests a bad cold in the head it may be noticed en route, with other potions. It is a medicated drink of some antiquity; for among the numerous English authors who in some way or other speak of it, the divine William has made one of his characters say: “We’ll have a posset ... at the latter end of a sea-coal fire.” And Sir John Suckling, who died in 1641, says in one of his poems:— In came the bridesmaids with the posset. {172} Dr. Johnson describes posset as milk curdled with wine and other acids; we may therefore infer that the preparation of sherry and curd which we call White Wine Whey is the Milk Posset of our ancestors. Put one pint of milk into a saucepan, and when it boils pour in a gill of sherry; boil it till the curd becomes hard, then strain it through a fine sieve. Rub a few lumps of sugar on the rind of a lemon and put them into the whey; grate a small quantity of nutmeg into it, and sweeten to taste.
Pepper Posset. The better to promote perspiration, whole peppercorns are sometime boiled in the whey. A Pepper Posset was known to the learned and ingenious John Dryden, as will appear from the following lines written by him:— A sparing diet did her health assure; Or sick, a pepper posset was her cure. Cider Posset. Pound the peel of a lemon in a mortar, and pour on it one quart of fresh-drawn cider; sweeten with lump-sugar, add one gill of brandy and one quart of new milk. Stir the mixture well, strain it through a hair sieve, grate a little nutmeg over it, and it is fit for use.
In a former chapter a recipe for {173} Sack Posset has been given. And here is what Sir Fleetwood Fletcher wrote on the same subject:— From fam’d Barbadoes, on the western main, Fetch sugar, ounces four; fetch sack from Spain A pint; and from the Eastern Indian coast Nutmeg, the glory of our northern toast; O’er flaming coals let them together heat Till the all-conquering sack dissolve the sweet; O’er such another fire put eggs just ten, New-born from tread of cock and rump of hen; Stir them with steady hand and conscience pricking, To see th’ untimely end of ten fine chicken: [Sir Fleetwood! Sir Fleetwood!] From shining shelf take down the brazen skillet, A quart of milk from gentle cow will fill it; When boil’d and cold, put milk and sack to eggs, Unite them firmly like the triple league, [What, again?] And on the fire let them together dwell Till miss sing twice—you must not kiss and tell: Each lad and lass take up a silver spoon, And fall on fiercely like a starv’d dragoon.
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