MIXED DRINKS.
75
Dutch gins vary, but are purer and mellower liquors
than the more highly-flavored British gins. It is fre
quently prescribed in diseases of the urinary organs, as
the essential oil of .juniper is the most powerful of all
diruetics. But the imitation gin, which may easily he
detected by taste, is very pernicious and should be
excluded. The spurious gin is made by mixing essen
tial oils, turpentine, etc., with plain spirits without any
redistillation. It is always best to buy good goods from
reliable houses and pay market prices in this article as
in everything else. Don't'look for"soft snaps."
Abrak is an Oriental spirit distilled from "toddy,"
or the fermented juice of certain palm trees or from
rice.
' Sake,the national drink of Japan,is from rice.
Potato Brandy is very extensively prepared from
the fecula of potatoes in Germany and Russia. It is
much used in the arts and for making factitious wines
and for fortifying wines.
Koumiss,as originally manufactured by the Tartars,
is distilled from fermented milk of mares,and furnishes
the only example of spirit drawn from animal sources—
a great food and drink in Russia.
Maraschino originated with the Italians. For