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Cocktails
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variations of the standard drinks, such as you might make
yourself, and to which you might give names of your own
choice.
It is obvious that the cocktail, through its dilution with
other ingredients of little or no alcohoHc content, is less in
jurious to the tender membranes of the body than drinks of
straight whiskey, gin, brandy, rum or applejack. Even the
distillers will tell you this fact. They do not want men and
women to be hurt by their products, for longer Uves mean
greater sales, and steadier demand. There are times, of
course, when straight drinks are good for the system—in
sickness,for instance. Distillers actually cooperate with pro
ducers of other beverages which may be mixed with their
products, to promote temperate drinking. I say this, with
full knowledge that bigoted objectors will scoff and attack
the assertion.
Saloons and hotels, for profit-making purposes, usually
make cocktails seldom exceeding two ounces, or haljthe size
of those I recommend. Years ago the 2-ounce was deemed
a "Ladies' Drink." I prefer a 3-ounce, but the advantage
of the 4-ounce is that one satisfies thirst. The 2-ounce is so
short that a second bother of mixing is needlessly incurred.
As to individual taste, drinking cocktails, as in drinking
any other beverage, should not be made unpleasant by too
strict adherence to arbitrary formulas. If your guest prefers,
say, a stronger proportion of Rye in his Manhattan and less
of Vermouth,or more of Vermouth and less of Rye,or wishes
weaker or stronger variations made in other drinks, by all
means satisfy him—or her.
For your guest, after all, is the one to please, rather than
yourself.