Cassis,

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 man­u­fac­ture 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 Dauphiné, 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, nev­er­the­less, that a most se­duc­tive liquid could be distilled from plants, chief amongst them being Angelica Archangelica—a plant which it is probable 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 {195} substantial revenue; for Chartreuse is esteemed—in France, at all events—above all chasses. The yellow kind is the best, and the white mildest of the three, of which the green is fiery. Personally, I prefer curaçoa, or, better still, cognac ’65.

The name of the “little refreshers” consumed at tavern-bars in large cities is legion. I have heard the following compounds called for, at dif­fer­ent times: sherry-and-bitters—there being at least half a dozen sorts of bitters—gin-and-ditto, whisky-and-ditto; vermouth (Italian or French), vermouth-and-sloe-gin, gin-and-sherry, gin-and-orange-gin, sloe-gin, gin-and-sloe-gin (commonly called “slow-and-quick”), curaçoa-and-brandy, whisky alone, brandy alone, gin alone. And in the Borough there is a dreadful mix­ture known by the approp­ri­ate name of

Twist.

“This,” says an esteemed cor­re­spon­dent, “is a favourite liqueur of the porters in the hop-warehouses. You go into the ‘Red Cross,’ for instance, and ask for a ‘ ’alf-quartern o’ Twist in a three-out glass,’ and you will find that it consists of equal parts of rum and gin, and is a powerful pick-me-up after a wet night.”

I should question the “pick-me-up” part of this story; therefore shall not schedule “Twist” in my list of Restoratives, in the next chapter.

Kirschenwasser.

This is a wholesome and reviving liqueur made from the cherries which grow in the Black Forest. It is not as potent as maraschino, which {196} is also made from cherries, in another place. But the Black Forest cherry-water requires a little treatment to render it palatable.