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HINTS AND GENERAL REMARKS.
13
It
must be borne in mind: Drinking is an art, and it
requires practice to know how to drink, what to drink,
and when to drink. Drinking is like eating. Who but
a cannibal would not prefer his viands prepared in a
palatable form ? That fancy cooking is not injurious,
we have full proof of; we know of aged people of the
past and of the present who spent a little fortune in
having their dishes made to suit their taste. As good
eating depends on the cook, so good drinking on the
expert barkeeper.
A distinguished Englishman, Mr. T., one day told
me: "We do not have much mixed drinks in our coun–
try." Whereupon I asked him: "Why do your coun–
trymen mix ale with porter, or Bass ale with ginger
ale?" "Well, it makes the drink more pleasant to the
taste." I needed no more answer.
A man gets tired of good company, of good friends,
or even of his best girl-why should we wonder at see–
ing him getting tired of mixed drinks? I cannot help
stating the fact that our drinking capacity is increas–
ing, compared with former times. Not everybody is
capable of criticising and appreciating a good drink,
more so a mixed one. Never smoke when you want to
enjoy a fine drink, nor chew; never drink anything
· mixed when you do not feel well. For medical pur–
poses, plain drinks are preferable.
When I began my business as bartender, I was oniy
a boy and hardly able to keep up with the demands of
my employer; I remembered this often enough after-