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THE GENTLEMAN'S COMPANION
cost should run in the neighbourhood of two hundred dollars, de–
pending on geography.
The average bar amateur should run through the list and
pick
out
those in most general use throughout the receipts.
Small bars should stick to the following. Dry, sloe, and old Tom
gin; bourbon, rye, Scotch; orange and angostura bitters; French and
Italian vermouth; grenadine and plain bar syrup; and a little each
of the following:
Absinthe, benedictine, apricot brandy, cognac brandy, creme de
menthe, cointreau, curac;:ao, maraschino, port, dry sherry, Rose's lime
syrup, raspberry syrup, honey, orange-flower water, and a Sparklets
siphon.
Even this small-bar list looks lengthy, and totals around fifty dollars
without the Sparklets. But let's look at it this way:
Any niixing spot will serve a given number of potations per annum.
If
we only have gin, bourbon, and rye, with grenadine and angostura,
.that doesn't mean we'll consume any less cubic centimeters of alcohol
than with the above assortment-which actually is capable of an amaz–
ing number of permutations and combinations. . . . The first in–
vestment is larger, but the yearly outgo in dollars will remain the
same. . . . In one case we may gain name for pecunious and uninter–
esting assortments to offer a guest-in the latter we straightway be–
come mighty clever and interesting fellows indeed. Good reputation
is so rare,
it
would seem a canny gesture to cotton on to what little is
going around through this simple expedient of stocking two dozen
active ingredients in plain sight.
Of course many exotics and oddities are lacking, but if we include
those given here nothing will be found wanting, believe us.
NOW for the LIQUIDS THEMSELVES
ABSINTHE ... Needed both for frappes, drips; but mainly in
tiny
quantities to fetch out the other tastes in cocktails-importantly, picker–
uppers.
Now made principally in Switzerland, being banned in France. It is
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