6Q THE THOBOUGn GOOD COOK.
power. If yon can get water, and have some donbts abont
its pnrity, yon ma}' qnalify it either with a tiny admixtnre
of cognac or whisky, or of Spanish liqnorice, or molasses,
or — if yon do not object to bitters — of gentian, and a few
drops of syrnp of ginger. These ingredients, indeed, added
to Rosbach, wdth some sal- volatile, will form what is knoAvn
"as a piclv-me-np, and with a Inmp of ice snperadded✪ Pick-Me-Up will
be found delicious.
Civilised society, however, in a state of peace, requires
a vast number of cooling drinks of a more or less luxurious
quality. Cider-cup you will find I have given a recipe for,*
and ladies may find much solace in perry-cup, which I
consider to be equal in dulcet pleasantness to Moselle-cup,
and nearly equal to the king of all white-Avine cups,
champagne. Cold tea is a most delicious and refreshing
iDeverage in hot weather ; but I doubt whether it should be
taken pure. It is much better both for the palate and
the nerves of the drinker to mingle it with milk and
sugar. That is the Avay in which the Australian miner
takes it when he prepares to descend the shaft and his
wife hands him, just before the basket or cradle is set
going, his " billy " of tea. The Russians drink amazing
quantities of tea, both in winter and summer; but they
never drink it cold. The tea is poured from a samovar,
a large brass urn ; through the centre of this runs a tube
in which heated charcoal or a red-hot metal cylinder
is placed to keep the water Avarm ; and the tea is then
poured from a tap, not into cups, but tumblers. Milk and
sugar are eschewed ; but the tea — which is usually five times
better than any tea procurable in "Western Europe or in
America — is flavoured with a slice of lemon. I have heard
of artfully contrived samovars divided into two separate
'compartments and moving on a pivot. The guests Avho
" know the ropes " are aware that one compartment
* See p. 440.
CHATS ABOUT COOKEBY. 67
contains innocent hot tea, and the other wicked hot
punch. The machine has a tap on each side, and the
non-abstaining Muscovite can easily twirl the samovar round
and turn on the punch-tap. Obviously, however, neither
hot tea nor hot jDunch should be regarded in warm Aveather
as a cooling drink.
Heat, however, should not be entirely disregarded as an
element in two exceptionally cool and refreshing beverages.
In the morning, instead of drinking j-our coffee hot, try it as
a chaudfroid. Pour }'our cafe an lait into a soda-water
glass in which you have placed a couple of very big
lumps of ice. When you first grasp the glass in your
fingers the heat will be scarcely tolerable, but by degrees,
as you drink, you Avill experience an enchanting sensation
of velvet-like softness, and gradually increased chilliness
in the coffee; and in the end you will find that you are
sipping a completely cold beverage, not violently iced, but
gently, gradually, and completely refrigerated. A chaudfroid
of tea in the afternoon is quite as delightful and quite as
thirst-quenching. Iced milk I grant to be appetising, but
save at very early morning, and then qualified by a dash of
the best Jamaica rum, I doubt the prudence of gulping down,
say, half a pint of milk at a draught.✪ Chaudfroid Coffee
Page 48 · 2 recipe records on this page
Presented as published in 1895. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
power. If you can get water, and have some doubts about its purity, you may qualify it either with a tiny admixture of cognac or whisky, or of Spanish liquorice, or molasses, or — if you do not object to bitters — of gentian, and a few drops of syrup of ginger. These ingredients, indeed, added to Rosbach, with some sal-volatile, will form what is known as a pick-me-up, and with a Inmp of ice superadded will be found delicious.
Civilised society, however, in a state of peace, requires a vast number of cooling drinks of a more or less luxurious quality. Cider-cup you will find I have given a recipe for,* and ladies may find much solace in perry-cup, which I consider to be equal in dulcet pleasantness to Moselle-cup, and nearly equal to the king of all white-wine cups, champagne. Cold tea is a most delicious and refreshing beverage in hot weather ; but I doubt whether it should be taken pure. It is much better both for the palate and the nerves of the drinker to mingle it with milk and sugar. That is the way in which the Australian miner takes it when he prepares to descend the shaft and his wife hands him, just before the basket or cradle is set going, his " billy " of tea. The Russians drink amazing quantities of tea, both in winter and summer; but they never drink it cold. The tea is poured from a samovar, a large brass urn ; through the centre of this runs a tube in which heated charcoal or a red-hot metal cylinder is placed to keep the water warm ; and the tea is then poured from a tap, not into cups, but tumblers. Milk and sugar are eschewed ; but the tea —which is usually five times better than any tea procurable in "Western Europe or in America — is flavoured with a slice of lemon. I have heard of artfully contrived samovars divided into two separate 'compartments and moving on a pivot. The guests Awho "know the ropes" are awaree that one compartment
* See p. 440.
contains innocent hot tea, and the other wicked hot punch. The machine has a tap on each side, and the non-abstaining Muscovite can easily twirl the samovar round and turn on the punch-tap. Obviously, however, neither hot tea nor hot punch should be regarded in warm weather as a cooling drink.
Heat, however, should not be entirely disregarded as an element in two exceptionally cool and refreshing beverages. In the morning, instead of drinking your coffee hot, try it as a chaudfroid. Pour your café au lait into a soda-water glass in which you have placed a couple of very big lumps of ice. When you first grasp the glass in your fingers the heat will be scarcely tolerable, but by degrees, as you drink, you will experience an enchanting sensation of velvet-like softness, and gradually increased chilliness in the coffee; and in the end you wwill find that you are sipping completely cold beverage, not violently iced, but gently, gradually, and completely refrigerated. A chaudfroid of tea in the afternoon is quite as delightful and quite as thirst-quenching. Iced milk I grant to be appetising, but save at very early morning, and then qualified by a dash of the best Jamaica rum, I doubt the prudence of gulping down, say, half a pint of milk at a draught.
Records on this page
Pick-Me-UpChaudfroid Coffee