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THE FLOWING BOWL
1
Cassisy
owing to the ridiculously-high duty imposed
upon its importation, is comparatively unknown
in England, although it can be obtained at every
little roadside cabaret in France, cheap enough.
The cassis of Dijon has a great reputation as a
cooling drink. There is an infinitesimal portion
of alcohol in it, and it can, I should say, be easily
made at home by anybody who possesses some
nice ripe black-currants. Still the nearest the
ordinary English householder gets to cassis is in
the manufacture of so - called " black - currant
tea" ; and you only get that when you have a
sore throat.
Chartreuse.
One of the most severe sects of monks manu
facture a liqueur which is the highest prized and
priced of all, for the benefit of Sybarites who
deny themselves no luxury in life. St. Bruno
the founder of this order chose for his monastery
the most desolate and barren spot he could find
in the mountains of Dauphine, and forbade his
followers to eat the flesh of bird or beast; the
fruit of the vine and strong waters being likewise
defended.
But one of them discovered, never
theless, that a most seductive liquid could be
distilled from plants, chief amongst them being
Angelica Archangelica—a plant which it is prob
able did not receive its holy name until trial had
been made of the distillation. The Carthusian
monks have the sole right of selling this liqueur
—a right which brings them in a very substan-