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A

BACHELOR'S

CUPBOARD

Correct

Wines

for

all

Occasions

pours

a

very

small

glass

of

Madeira,

rum,

or

some-

thing

similar.

Whatever

other

wine

his

fancy

dic-

tates

follows

as

in

France

it

is

posible

to

obtain

the

finest

of

wines

by

the

glass.

At

private

dinners

in

Russia

the

wines

are

often

placed

upon

the

tables,

w^hich

are

free

from

dinner

service.

The

guests

pour

their

own

wines,

or

have

them

poured

by

the

servant,

according

to

their

fancy.

The

plats

de

jour

are

on

side

tables,

and

the

guests are

presented

with

a

carte

du

jour,

so

that

each

may

order

the

servant

to

bring

whatever

most

pleases

his

fancy.

In

most

other

European

countries,

in

good

society,

the

French

mode

is

imitated

closely

in

variety

of

wines

and

the

mode

of

taking

them.

In

countries

where

ice

is

not

easily

obtainable

a

cu-

rious

fashion

of

cooling

white

wines

is

follow^ed.

The

decanter

is

hung

up

in

a

flannel

bag

that

has

previously

been

well

soaked

in

water,

in

the

full

glare

of

the

sun's

rays

where

there

is

a

strong

''

courant

d'air/*

The

consequent

evaporation

by

keeping

the

bag

dripping

wet

cools

the

wine

almost

to

freezing

point.

The

water

of

a

covered

well

or

spring,

fresh

drawn,

in

which

a

pound

or

two

of

salt

is

thrown,

will

reduce

the

temperature

of

wine

to

a

low

and

agreeable

point.

The

Italians

still

hold

to

the

old

custom

of

lowering

the

dinner

w^ine

into

a

well

an

hour

or

two

before

use,

which

generally

renders

its

temperature

just

right.

Where

expense

be

no

object,

freezing

mixtures

may

be

used.

Eleven

parts

of

sal

ammoniac,

dry

and

pow-

dered, ten

of

nitre,

sixteen

of

Glauber

salts,

and

thirty-

170