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MIXER'S GUIDE
antwist the wire and carefully draw the cork. Have a napkin
wrapped around the neck of the bottle and as soon as the cork
is out pour a little into the glass of the host first. Then serve
from the right.
Care should be taken that the wine flows out
smoothly and if gently poured on the side of the glass the ebullition
of the wine will be checked sufficiendy so that the goblet can be
filled without overflowing. The napkin around the botde is to
keep the wine from the heat of the hands and to protect the table
cloth.
When mineral waters are contained in siphons, they should
be cooled gradually, and should not be permitted to stand in con
tact with the ice. The thickness of the glass out of which siphons
are constructed affords the necessary resistance to the expansion of
the gas they contain and yet they are more liable to crack on account
of unequal contraction if only one portion of the siphon has been
touching the ice.
A moderate degree of coolness will suffice for cordials, syrups
and bitters and they need not be laid on ice, as only small quantities
of these are used for mixing and flavoring.
Claret, rhine wines, sherry, port, etc., should be handled with
an extra amount of care. Be particular to avoid shaking when
serving them and especially while drawing the cork so as to prevent
the sediment which might be in the bottle from being disturbed.
Botdes containing these types of wine should when laid away be
placed on the side in order to keep the corks moist, and should be
kept in a place where the temperamre is nearly even all the year
around.
Old Cognac loses its smoothness or velvet when it is chilled
while brandy or other liquors require only a moderate temperature.
Whisky is usually kept on ice.