SHERBET, PERSIAN. — The very sound
of the words “ Royal Persian Sherbet ”
carries the mind of most persons back
to the days of their early childhood.
Although probably our tastes for seed
cake, coupled with Persian sherbet, has
somewhat changed, still housekeepers
would do well to remember how very
useful this Persian sherbet is through-
out the length and breadth of the land.
I have on several occasions, when speak-
ing of syrups and fruit essences, called
attention to the great importance of
supplying the poorer classes, and more
especially children, with some cheap
substitute for intoxicating drink.
Amongst the villages in England there
will perhaps be many which have never
yet even heard of pineapple syrup, red-
currant syrup, etc., to be obtained at
most large grocers in towns ; but in
every little country village there will
probably be that shop, so familiar to
every child in the village, where in hot
weather can be obtained a glass of royal
Persian sherbet for a halfpenny. There
are numbers of persons in the present
day who, on philanthropic grounds, are
urging the people to give up intoxicating
drink of every description. They would
do well to bear in mind how great an
ally they have in this glass of sherbet.
Probably most lads at the turning-point
in life, when they are half boys and
half men, commence drinking beer, not
because they like it for its own sake,
but because others do, and they think it
looks manly ; but on many occasions, if
they had their choice, they would prefer
a glass of syrup and water. As it is,
they must either drink beer or nothing
at all. The teetotaller’s best friend on
every village green throughout the
country would be a bottle of sherbet —
or, still better, of fruit essence, if it
could be sold cheap — with a glass of
cold water. It is this coolness that is
the great difficulty. The publican who
draws his beer from some deep and cool
cellar knows by experience how many
extra gallons of beer he will draw in the
bar in hot weather if his house is noted
for having the beer cool. It is no use to
tempt people away from public-houses
on hot days by offering them liquid
almost tepid. At cricket matches, espe-
cially in country villages, and all out-
door recreations where persons congre-
gate in large numbers, the teetotaller’s
best ally is a lump of ice, in addition to
142 CROSSE AND BLACKWELL'S
some nice refreshing flavour. A glass
of real iced sherbet is a formidable rival
to a half-pint of beer. Persons of toler-
ably good means can, of course, afford
to have their drinks mixed with iced
soda-water. This, however, is a luxury
far beyond the reach of all the poorer
classes. Sherbet, however, supplies its
own effervescence ; all it wants to make
it really acceptable is a lump of ice or a
glass of iced water added to it.
Page 206
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
SHERBET, PERSIAN. — The very sound of the words “ Royal Persian Sherbet ” carries the mind of most persons back to the days of their early childhood. Although probably our tastes for seed cake, coupled with Persian sherbet, has somewhat changed, still housekeepers would do well to remember how very useful this Persian sherbet is throughout the length and breadth of the land. I have on several occasions, when speaking of syrups and fruit essences, called attention to the great importance of supplying the poorer classes, and more especially children, with some cheap substitute for intoxicating drink. Amongst the villages in England there will perhaps be many which have never yet even heard of pineapple syrup, redcurrant syrup, etc., to be obtained at most large grocers in towns ; but in every little country village there will probably be that shop, so familiar to every child in the village, where in hot weather can be obtained a glass of royal Persian sherbet for a halfpenny. There are numbers of persons in the present day who, on philanthropic grounds, are urging the people to give up intoxicating drink of every description. They would do well to bear in mind how great an ally they have in this glass of sherbet. Probably most lads at the turning-point in life, when they are half boys and half men, commence drinking beer, not because they like it for its own sake, but because others do, and they think it looks manly ; but on many occasions, if they had their choice, they would prefer a glass of syrup and water. As it is, they must either drink beer or nothing at all. The teetotaller’s best friend on every village green throughout the country would be a bottle of sherbet — or, still better, of fruit essence, if it could be sold cheap — with a glass of cold water. It is this coolness that is the great difficulty. The publican who draws his beer from some deep and cool cellar knows by experience how many extra gallons of beer he will draw in the bar in hot weather if his house is noted for having the beer cool. It is no use to tempt people away from public-houses on hot days by offering them liquid almost tepid. At cricket matches, especially in country villages, and all outdoor recreations where persons congregate in large numbers, the teetotaller’s best ally is a lump of ice, in addition to
some nice refreshing flavour. A glass of real iced sherbet is a formidable rival to a half-pint of beer. Persons of tolerably good means can, of course, afford to have their drinks mixed with iced soda-water. This, however, is a luxury far beyond the reach of all the poorer classes. Sherbet, however, supplies its own effervescence ; all it wants to make it really acceptable is a lump of ice or a glass of iced water added to it.