What subject is so suitable for early summer? Who
has not at times experienced that strange and almost
painful feeling that must exist in the throat in order
that the sensation may be worthy of the name of
“thirst?” I recollect many years ago either hearing
or reading a horrible story of the refinement of cruelty.
A prisoner is supposed to have been lowered into a
deep dungeon, and to have been left for a whole day
without food. Ravenous with hunger, what are his
feelings on seeing the dungeon-top unclosed, and
slowly lowered a silver dish containing probably food.
The dish is at length grasped and uncovered, and is
found to contain some bread and nicely cooked salt
fish, both of which are eagerly devoured. The dish
is slowly drawn up, and the prisoner left alone. What,
however, were the pains of hunger that he felt, com-
pared to the raging thirst he now experiences, a thirst
greatly increased by the nature of the food he has
eaten — viz., salt fish ! Another twenty-four hours of
agony, tenfold greater than he experienced before,
pass heavily away, and again the dungeon opens, and
a large and beautiful silver goblet is seen slowly to
150 Common-sense Cookery.
descend, and sends a quiver of hope through the frame
of the poor agonised wretch, almost raving. The goblet
is at length clutched, somewhat like a drowning man
would clutch a straw. Alas ! the goblet is found to
be empty, and he is left to Death, more merciful
than his gaolers.
Horrible stories, too, have been told of travellers
in the desert, who, in their death-agony, have ripped
open and ladled out a spoonful or two of water from
their camel’s stomach.
However, we live in a happier clime ; certain is it
that should any one experience thirst in this country,
it is not for want of opportunities to drink.
Before, however, we proceed to discuss the various
methods and recipes for cooling drinks, such as
claret-cup, champagne-cup, as well as home-made
lemonade, lemon-smash, &c., it will not be out of
place to compare (as we have already done in cooking)
France and England, in regard to drinking. If it is
urged there is a good old saying that “comparisons are
odious,” we would add, so also is drunkenness. That
this latter vice is the curse of the country, and has
been for many years, no one will deny. That of late
private tippling in families far above the lower orders
is also on the increase, is a fact so patent that it
deserves more notice than that it has hitherto met
with in purely medical journals.
Cooling Drinks.
iSi
Perhaps one of the simplest and most effective
cures for the dangerous habit we speak of is the
substitution of some agreeable but at the same time
harmless drink, for the usual stimulant.
Page 60
Presented as published in 1880. 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
What subject is so suitable for early summer? Who has not at times experienced that strange and almost painful feeling that must exist in the throat in order that the sensation may be worthy of the name of “thirst?” I recollect many years ago either hearing or reading a horrible story of the refinement of cruelty. A prisoner is supposed to have been lowered into a deep dungeon, and to have been left for a whole day without food. Ravenous with hunger, what are his feelings on seeing the dungeon-top unclosed, and slowly lowered a silver dish containing probably food. The dish is at length grasped and uncovered, and is found to contain some bread and nicely cooked salt fish, both of which are eagerly devoured. The dish is slowly drawn up, and the prisoner left alone. What, however, were the pains of hunger that he felt, compared to the raging thirst he now experiences, a thirst greatly increased by the nature of the food he has eaten — viz., salt fish ! Another twenty-four hours of agony, tenfold greater than he experienced before, pass heavily away, and again the dungeon opens, and a large and beautiful silver goblet is seen slowly to
150 Common-sense Cookery.
descend, and sends a quiver of hope through the frame of the poor agonised wretch, almost raving. The goblet is at length clutched, somewhat like a drowning man would clutch a straw. Alas ! the goblet is found to be empty, and he is left to Death, more merciful than his gaolers.
Horrible stories, too, have been told of travellers in the desert, who, in their death-agony, have ripped open and ladled out a spoonful or two of water from their camel’s stomach.
However, we live in a happier clime ; certain is it that should any one experience thirst in this country, it is not for want of opportunities to drink.
Before, however, we proceed to discuss the various methods and recipes for cooling drinks, such as claret-cup, champagne-cup, as well as home-made lemonade, lemon-smash, &c., it will not be out of place to compare (as we have already done in cooking) France and England, in regard to drinking. If it is urged there is a good old saying that “comparisons are odious,” we would add, so also is drunkenness. That this latter vice is the curse of the country, and has been for many years, no one will deny. That of late private tippling in families far above the lower orders is also on the increase, is a fact so patent that it deserves more notice than that it has hitherto met with in purely medical journals.
Cooling Drinks.
iSi
Perhaps one of the simplest and most effective cures for the dangerous habit we speak of is the substitution of some agreeable but at the same time harmless drink, for the usual stimulant.