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World's Drinks.
With the annexation of new territory by the United States, the nimble–
fingered disp enser of liquill refreshments finds it incumbent upon himself to
extend his reper toire, while the dev.otee of Bacchus has thrust upon him newly
and strangely compounded assuagers of thirst.
From Cuba, from Porto Rico, from the Philippines and from the Sandwich
I slands come liquid f ancies-some native, some invented by residents of more
exten ded experience,-but one and all different from the cocktails, punches,
flips and juleps of our native. land.
First of all must be considered Pimento, that fragrant stimulant with
endless possibilities, known so well in Cuba. A glass well filled with ice,
a lime well squeezed, a dash of Pimento, a spray of seltzer or club soda, the
mixture well stirred, and you have a fizz which many think better by far than
one of · gin or whiskey.
Molasses or brown sugar takes the place of syrup in the drinks of Porto
Rieo and Manila. They give a peculiar flavor much liked by the natives,
but which is not always appreciated by others. In any of the recipes given,
gum syrup may be substituted for molasses
if
desired, although in some cases
it. is the latter which gives the distinctive flavor.
A typical Porto Rico cocktail is made from a pony of J amaica rum, two
or t hree dashes of molasses and one dash of Pimento, all stirred with ice and
strained into a thin glass.
Another tropical cocktail has for its base one-third part vanilla cordial ;
to this are added t wo-thirds brandy and a dash of Pimento. The oil from a
bit of lemon rind adds zest to the tipple, and is squeezed from the top after
straining.
Riee wine is not unknown in the States, although in no great demand.
Mulled it is quite popular in the Philippines, where, under a warm sun, its
intoxicating effects are fully appreciated.
A gun-barrel is ,generally used by the natives in preparing the mulled
p ortion,- a superstition prevailing that the drink thus compounded absorbs
some of the peculiarly effective fighting qualities of the gun and gives strength
accordingly.
More intoxicating than rice wine is barley ale. Old and experienced
drinkers have been brought to grief by a couple of glasses of t his palatable
intoxicant.
It
is sometimes mixed with lemon juice to deaden its effects, but
for t he average American the fascinating flavor is destroyPd by such treatmen t.