The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-11-14 00:00:00

WINTER DRINKS;

Most people are familiar with cooling drinks—the
beverages hospitably proffered in double-handled
tankards, carefully swathed in a napkin. Every young
lady who has been to Lord's, or to Montera at Eton,
or to Commemoration at Oxford, or even to Henley
Regatta, knows all about claret-cup and champagne-
cup and cider-cup. She knows all, that is to say, ex-
cept how to mix these compounds. But, as compared
with summer drinks, a winter drink is a work of art.
All you need in a summer drink is that it should cool
you. One of the best summer drinks in the world is
an ordinary lemon ice well stirred and dissolved in a
bottle of soda-water. A winter drink is more than
this. When the Cyclops in the Odyssey praises
Ulysses for his skill as a butler, he vows that the
beverage offered him has been "a gulp of nectar and
ambrosia." Winter drinks must always contain am•
brosia, unless the drinker has been for hours in
an artificial atmo,phere. The type of a winter
drink for men who are doing hard work—wild-
fowling in a flat bottomed boat, or at sea with icicles
in the rigging—is egg-flip. Doctors differ, but egg.
flip should be mere or less made after this fashion.
You beat up the yolks and whites of eggs into a sort
of custard. In a saucepan you heat beer with a
moderate allowance of gin. Old ale that has become
hard is the beer for choice. Then, before the beer
boils or even simmers, you pour in the custard, whip-
ping the mixture the whole time so that the white of
the eggs shall not coagulate. You then—and this is
a secret of the art—whip in and whip up some ground
loaf-sugar, which brings a thick rich foam to the sur-
face The resultant compound should have the con-
sistency of cream, and may be safely drunk out of a
tumbler, which should first be warmed. A pint of
egg-flip is a meal. It will carry a duck-shooter on
the fens for tw lye hours, especially if he assists it
with a good solid biscuit. Another very" staying"
compound is the famous "hot egg-nogg?
Among various recipes for the concoction of
this beverage, Mr. Engel's is the best. That past-
master in the art of brewing drinks tells us to take a
tablespoonful of fine sugar dissolaed in a tablespoon-
ful of water, one egg, a wine-glass of cognac, half a
wine-glass of Santa Cruz or Jamaica rum, a quarter
of a tumbler of boiling water, and to fill up with
milk; then we are to shake the ingredients until they
are thoroughly mixed, and then to grate a little nut-
meg on the top. PerhE ps the most favourite winter
drink in England is warm punch; and this is Mr.
Engel's advice as to its brewing "The great secret,'
he tells us, "in punch-brewing is to make the mixture
sweet and strong, using tea instead of water, and so
thoroughly amalgamating all the compounds that the
taste of neither the bitter, the sweet, the spirit, nor
the element shall be perceptible one over the other.
With hot punch the spirits should be put in before
the water." The most popular American winter
drink is called Tom and Jerry. To fill an ordinary
punch-bowl with this mixture, take 51b. of powdered
sugar, 12 eggs, half a wine-glass of Jamaica rum, one
and a half teaspoonfuls of groand cinnamon, half a
teaspoonful of ground cloves, and half a teaspoonful
of allspice. Beat the white of the eggs to a stiff froth,-
and the yolks until they are as thin as water;
then mix together and add spice and rum.
Thicken with sugar until the mixture attains the con-
sistency of a light batter. Then take a tumbler, and
to one tablespoonful of this compound add a wine.
glassful of brandy and fill the glass with boiling
water; stir with a spoon, and grate a little nutmeg on
the top. There are winter drinks that are fanciful
fashionable, and practically useless. You might
almost begin the recipe for each with the old formula,
"Catch the flavour of a quarter of a pound 'of green
tin." Port-wine negus is one of these. Young girls
are laid up with bronchitis after a ball, and are then
scolded for dancing too much and afterwards sitting
in a draught. Take cheap port wine, largely forti-
fied; mix it with a more than corresponding bulk of
hot water; add sugar and grated nutmeg, and you
have the ordinary port-wine negus. A healthy man
might drink the sickly compound from a tankard.
In a young, and especially in a delicate girl,
the immediate exhilaration it produces is fol-
lowed by a chill. For a drink in winter must do more
than warm you, else it will merely produce what
may roughly be termed a perspiration, in the
relapse from which it leaves the body in no condition
to withstand the external temperature. There are
some winter drinks for men which act immediately as
a strong stimulant, forcing the heart into action, and
,se securing an instantaneous ,if temporary recovery
from the effects of cold or indeed of any violent
shock to the system. Of these the number is very
large; and the efficacy of each will be all the more
potent if it is one to which the patient is not accus-
tomed. A man tumbles through the ice; they fish
him out and give him half a tumbler of hot brandy-
and-water. He is so accustomed to this dose that it
has practically no effect. You might almost as well
offer him a bottle of ginger•beer. But a glass of rum
without water will promptly send the blood
coursing gaily through his veins. There are occasions
when a few grains of cayenne pepper may be ad-
vantageously mixed with the rum. The best rule for
winter drinks with your meals is that they should be
much the same as those in which you indulge during
the summer. For in winter you eat more than
in
summer, especially more flesh-meat. But,
if
you lead a liCalthy. life, with plenty of exercise, the
best of winter drinks are those from which you would
hills in summer as being heavy. And perhaps the
prince of these among malt-liquors is rod Burton
ale, or, as tavern-keepers call it, old ale. It is an ale
to be taken in moderation. If wine is taken, it
should be wine analogous to Burton ale; in small
quantities, too. A book might be written on the
merits of Tokay, White Hermitage, and the stronger
Italian wines, such as Capri Rosso. Burgundy is
good; so is Madeira; so would port wine be if you
could only get it. Winter or summer, all violent
drinks are noxious, unless there has been a shock to
the system. The consumption of raw spirits is bar-
barous; they neither cool you in summer nor warm
you in winter. Only in a limited sense is alcohol
food. But at the right Limes and seasons, and in
small quantities, it is a wholesome and a cheering
stimulus; and in winter more than in any other
season of the year the good of it is found.

An American paper asks why Tennyson did not
wait to bring out his "two suns in one day" until the
cold weather had set in. They were "simply
maddening" in July, but they would be much
appreciated now. Lord Tennyson will be delighted
with the realistic effects ascribed to his poetic
creations.
At a cheap restaurant. 'Will you have a 25 cent
dinner, sir, or a 35 cent one ?" "What is the differ-
ence between the two?" "Ten cents, sir."
Some folkses smiles brightens up de room mor'n a
hickory fire on a frosty naornin'.

THE CRISIS IN THE EAST.
(Through Beater's Agency.)
PHILIPPOPOLIS, NOV. 7.
The news that the Czar has by a special ukase
struck the name of Prince Alexander off the Russian
Army List has produced a painful impression here.
This official act is regarded as extinguishing all hope
of Russian sympathy in the present crisis. People
here cannot understand the motives of the Czar's
policy in, as it seems to them, striving to destroy what
his father accomplished.

The position liere is becoming more critical. M.
Karaveloff, the Bulgarian Premier, is expected to
arrive here soon.

SALONICA, Nov. 6.

Four battalions of Turkish infantry, just arrived
here, have been at once despatched to the Greek
frontier.

Vow, Nov. 8.

Letters from Salonica report that more than 50,000
Turkish troops are guarding the Macedonia frontier
from Mitrovitza on the north all round to Raslok on
the south-east, the chief stations being Palanka, with
llskusb as base, and Djuma and Nevrokop with
Strumdja as base.
No disturbances are reported from the frontier,
and, owing to the presence of the troops, the brigands
are being held in check. The notorious brigand,
Nico, who captured Colonel Synge, has been appre-
hended in Greece, where be lived last year.
CONSTANTINOPLE, Nov. 7.
The situation is regarded in diplomatic circles as
affording some prospect of a solution' through the
Powers making mutual concessions with the object of
giving some satisfaction to the Bulgarians, though at
the same time no support could be given to the pre-
tensions of the Servians and Greeks. The prospect
of a peaceful settlement has been greatly increased by
the attisude assumed during the last few days by
Herr von Radowitz, the German Ambassador, who
has been endeavouring to reconcile the oppesing views
of Sir William White and M. de Nelidoff, the Rus-
sian representative. In this matter Germany, not-
withstanding that her relations with Russia continue
on an excellent footing, has now shown herself to be
somewhat at variance with the Government of the
Czar, whose position is now much more isolated than
at first. It is stated that the earliest difficulty to
arise at the Conference will be a demand of M. de
Nelidoff that Prince Alexander should be dethroned, a
proposal which would be opposed by the British repre-
sentative; but the report that Sir W. White, at the
first sitting of the Conference, made a formal protes-
tation to this effect is without foundation. Equally
false is the assertion that Lord Salisbury had agreed
to the Conference without any reservation whatever.
The British Premier, on the contrary, expressly
stipulated that the basis of negotiation, which limited
the work of the Conference to the Roumelian ques-
tion, should not be enlarged. Lord Salisbury also
made another reservation with regard to the means
to be employed in enforcing the decisions of the Con-
ference. This latter reservation was accompanied by
an explantion of Lord Salisbury to the effect that all
the Powers were doubtless animated with the desire
of avoiding the employment of armed force and of
solving the question by pacific means. The Porte
itself, in the event of the Conference deciding upon
the restoration of the status quo ante, would insist
upon the Turkish troops being accompanied by the
Consuls of the Great Powers, who would testify to the
conduct of the soldiers and Mussulman inhabit-
ants in order to avoid the possibility of ultimate
charges of massacre. The discussion of the essential
part of the question, however, will only be entered
upon by the Conference at its sitting to-day.
The Porte has sent by the Aastrian Lloyd steamers
60,000 Martini-Henry rifles, to be distributed
amongst the Mussulman populeions in Albania and
Macedonia. These rifles are principally intended for
the armament of the Mustaflz, which has just been
called out in Albania.

The conduct of the regular troops is everywhere
excellent, and the Redifs and Mustafiz ars likewise
full of enthusiasm to defend the frontier. The
popular sentiment of the Mussulrnan and Catholic
population in Albania is opposed to any concession of
territory being made to the Servians and Greeks.
The large number of troops already concentrated,
and the arming of the people are designed not only
for the purpose of defence against any eventual attack
from Greece and Servia, but also to give proof of
Turkey's military power. These military prepara-
tions had been recommended to the Sultan by Herr
von Radowitz, the German Ambassador, on the
ground that assertions were made in Europe that
Turkey had not the means of placing a large force in
the field.

The Sultan, at an audience given this week to
Count von der Goltz, stated that the Empire not only
had in all parts of the country 450,000 effective men.
but could in case of need call out 300,000 men
besides.
Djemal Pasha has left for Essen to hasten the de-
livery of 150 Krupp field guns.
Sir William White yesterday paid a visit to Said
Pasha, Minister for Foreign Affairs, at the latter's
special invitation. It is believed that the subject
under discussion was the Czar's -Ukase striking Prince
Alexander of Bulgaria off the Russian Army List, an
act which has produced a painful impression on the
Diplomatic Corps here, and which is regarded as in-
dicating a return to the hostile sentiments with which
the Czar formerly regarded the Prince. It has
also given rise to apprehensions that Russia has a
hidden motive in her absolute demand for a return
to the status quo ante.
The Porte has informed the Ambassadors that it
would consider a Servian invasion of Bulgaria a
cams bell.
The Conference held its second sitting to-day, and
remained in session for two hours and a half. Its
deliberations were devoted to the drawing up of a
Declaration, which is to form a general basis for the
future regulation of its labours. The representatives
of all the Powers expressed themselves as anxious for
the maintenance of peace and the rights of the Sultan.
The Conference will meet again on Monday.
THE CONFERENCE.--RUSSIA AND PRINCE
ALEXANDER.
A third sitting of the Conference was held in Con-
stantinople on Monday. It is stated that Sir William
White, in accordance with instructions from Lora
Salisbury, has signed the collective declaration agreed
upon at the second sitting. This declaration tends to
the restoration of the status quo ante.

A special correspondent at Philippopolis telegraphs
that the news of the expulsion of Prince Alexander
from the Russian army has made a deep impression
on the Bulgarian people. Should it portend war,
they are quite prepared to face that danger. As for
the Prince he is determined to fulfill his duty at any
cost to himself. Prince, people, and army, our corre-
spondent adds, are resolved to repel any invasion, and
to defend the unconditional union already accom-
plished, no matter what may happen, or what may be
the result of the present Conference.
A St. Petersburg Daily News correspondent says it
is reported that Russian agents are displaying the
greatest activity throughout Bulgaria and Bournelia,
and are endeavouring to persuade the people that they
have been deceived by Prince Alexander, and that
unless he be deposed the greatest dangers threaten
them.

A telegram from Sofia states that rifle shots were
exchanged on . Monday between some Servian and
Bulgarian patrolling parties on the frontier near Trn,
but that no one was wounded. A body of 300 Ser-
vian troops is said to have crossed the frontier and
advanced some distance in order to cut off a Bul-
garian patrol of 23 men, who, however, treated.
The The outposts have now been strengthened, and a
serious conflict is apprehended unless the Servians
retire.