At many houses only one or, at the most, two kinds of wine are now served throughout .the meal, and these are either claret, or Burgundy and champagne, or champagne only. The ancient custom, which is still in vogue among epicures and gourmets of the old school, is that a different kind of wine should accompany each distinct course. Modern diners, however, have practically dispensed with the old custom, the present fashion for a recherche dinner being that a glass of good old pale sherry is served with the soup, after which champagne takes the lead, and continues to be served until the dessert, when port and old claret are placed upon the table. SERVICE DE TABLE (TABLE SERVICE) 707 The following is the correct classification of wines as served with the various courses : — Chablis or Sauterne with Hors-d'oeuvre. Sherry or Marsala with Soup. Hock or Sauterne with Fish. Claret or Burgundy with Entrees and Removes. Champagne with Roast and Entremets. Port, Claret, or Madeira with the Dessert. The custom of serving at least six kinds of wine at dinner, that is, a 'different kind with each course, was, until a few years ago, observed at the royal tables ; in fact, His Majesty King Edward VII. used at one time to be very much in favour of a course of various wines at dinner, but of late years the number and kind of wines have been reduced to two, or three at the most. It is very probable that ere long a general custom will become a generally accepted rule, that only two kinds of wine are served at the recherche dinner-table. THE TEMPERATURE OF WINE. Respecting the proper temperature of the wines served the follow- ing table, compiled by a wine expert, gives the exact degrees of Fahr. various kinds of wine should be when being poured out to the guests : — Sherry and Marsala, 40 'degrees Fahr. Sauterne or other White Claret, 50 degrees Fahr. Claret, 65 degrees Fahr. Burgundy, 70 degrees Fahr. Chablis and other White Burgundy, 45 degrees Fahr. Champagne, 35 degrees Fahr. Port, 55 degrees Fahr. Madeira, 65 degrees Fahr. It is not considered correct ever to put ice in any kind of wine. Champagne and similar wines should, of course, be served cold, but the temperature must be lowered in bottle, not in glass. To cool champagne properly lay the bottle down in a basin, break up a handful of ice, put it on the bottle, and cover with a wet piece of flannel. This should be done an hour before the wine is served. To moderately cool Sauterne and Rhine wines brings out their bouquet and gives them an agreeable fresh flavour. Claret and Burgundy, on the contrary, should be drunk milk warm. This condition is secured by carefully setting the bottle in hot water and allowing it to remain long enough to gently heat the wine, or near a fire. This brings out its body and diminishes any tendency to astringency. Port, sherry, and Madeira being fortified wines, containing certain proportions of unfermented sugar, are usually termed hot wines, because the brandy heats the palate and produces a similar bodily sensation after drinking. These wines lose in body and flavour by being chilled. Port, through exposure to cold, acquires a harsh, thin, 708 THE NEW CENTURY COOKERY BOOK acid taste, often akin to bitterness, and it is temporarily deprived of all its characteristic qualities.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

At many houses only one or, at the most, two kinds of wine are now served throughout the meal, and these are either claret, or Burgundy and champagne, or champagne only. The ancient custom, which is still in vogue among epicures and gourmets of the old school, is that a different kind of wine should accompany each distinct course. Modern diners, however, have practically dispensed with the old custom, the present fashion for a recherche dinner being that a glass of good old pale sherry is served with the soup, after which champagne takes the lead, and continues to be served until the dessert, when port and old claret are placed upon the table. SERVICE DE TABLE (TABLE SERVICE) The following is the correct classification of wines as served with the various courses : — Chablis or Sauterne with Hors-d'oeuvre. Sherry or Marsala with Soup. Hock or Sauterne with Fish. Claret or Burgundy with Entrees and Removes. Champagne with Roast and Entremets. Port, Claret, or Madeira with the Dessert. The custom of serving at least six kinds of wine at dinner, that is, a 'different kind with each course, was, until a few years ago, observed at the royal tables ; in fact, His Majesty King Edward VII. used at one time to be very much in favour of a course of various wines at dinner, but of late years the number and kind of wines have been reduced to two, or three at the most. It is very probable that ere long a general custom will become a generally accepted rule, that only two kinds of wine are served at the recherche dinner-table. THE TEMPERATURE OF WINE. Respecting the proper temperature of the wines served the following table, compiled by a wine expert, gives the exact degrees of Fahr. various kinds of wine should be when being poured out to the guests : — Sherry and Marsala, 40 degrees Fahr. Sauterne or other White Claret, 50 degrees Fahr. Claret, 65 degrees Fahr. Burgundy, 70 degrees Fahr. Chablis and other White Burgundy, 45 degrees Fahr. Champagne, 35 degrees Fahr. Port, 55 degrees Fahr. Madeira, 65 degrees Fahr. It is not considered correct ever to put ice in any kind of wine. Champagne and similar wines should, of course, be served cold, but the temperature must be lowered in bottle, not in glass. To cool champagne properly lay the bottle down in a basin, break up a handful of ice, put it on the bottle, and cover with a wet piece of flannel. This should be done an hour before the wine is served. To moderately cool Sauterne and Rhine wines brings out their bouquet and gives them an agreeable fresh flavour. Claret and Burgundy, on the contrary, should be drunk milk warm. This condition is secured by carefully setting the bottle in hot water and allowing it to remain long enough to gently heat the wine, or near a fire. This brings out its body and diminishes any tendency to astringency. Port, sherry, and Madeira being fortified wines, containing certain proportions of unfermented sugar, are usually termed hot wines, because the brandy heats the palate and produces a similar bodily sensation after drinking. These wines lose in body and flavour by being chilled. Port, through exposure to cold, acquires a harsh, thin, acid taste, often akin to bitterness, and it is temporarily deprived of all its characteristic qualities.

The new century cookery book