Morning journal and courier., 1890-12-26

the only potive drink.
A drink delightfully."- acid and refreshing
is made in Brazil from the pulp of the cap
sule which envelopes the seed of the cacao
theobroma. The saccharine liquor ex-
tracted from the unexpahded flowers of
the Ita palm of British Guiana is said to
afford liquor resembling champagne in
its briskness. The sap of the Sontar
palm is obtained from the stems of the
punches of fruit when cut. This liquor is
drunk either fresh or after it has under
gone light fermentation. 1t bears also
the name of towak, or palm wine. Some
times a species of strychnos is infused
with it, which produces stupefying and
intoxicating beverage, sold daily in the ba-
zaars in Molluccas, especially in Amboyna,
in sections of bamboo. Palm wines are
common in most warm climates. In the
Eastern Archipelago the wine is obtained
from the gomuti palm. The principal
production of this palm is toddy from the
Sanscrit tade), which is obtained in the
following manner: One of the spadices
is. on the first appearance of the fruit,
beaten on three successive days with a
small stick, with view of determining
the flow of sap to the wounded part. The
spadix is then cut little way from its
root or base, and the liquor which pours
out is received in pots of earthenware and
sections of bamboo or other vessels
When newly drawn the liquor is clear and
in taste resembles fresh mint In q very
short time it becomes turbid, whitish and
somewhat acid, and quickly runs into the
vinous fermentation, acquiring an intoxi-
eating quality. In this state great quanti-
ties are consumed. In Ceylon, Madras
and other parts of India todby is obtained
from the sap of the palmyra palm, and
there are two kinds, the unfermented Juice
called sweet toddy, and the fermented, or
''culloo." The sap of the wine palm,
| called ''bourdon" and s'lope," is much rel
| ished by the savage tribes of west Africa.
| Other of their favorite inebriants are ''wa-
| wa" or plantain wine, and "bombe," small
beer made of grain. The latter is served
in neatly carved and colored gourds, and
the contents are imbibed through a reed.
/ The cool, refreshing milk of the cocoanut
| is highly esteemed, and many other palms
/ are brought into requisition for beverages.
| In Siam, China and Japan rice is the
principal grain used for distilling, and
forms the f'lan" of Siam, the ''shonchou''
and mandarin wine of China, the sake
| of Japan, and the "baded" and 'sbrom" of
Java. In China the rice wine they use is
by no means agreeable. tits always taken
hot and somewhat resembles Madeira wine
| in color and taste. The Malays have a fer
mented liquor made from rice which they
call ssgelang." The Javanese liquor,
''brom," is prepared from the fermenta-
ton of rice, and is a kind of beer, and not
the product of distillation. The fine ar
rack Ia name derived from ''aral," the
Arabic word for ardent spirit is an inven.
ton and manufacture of the Chinese, oi
which the materials are boiled rice, mo,
lasses and palm wine. Sake, or rice beer,
is the principal and almost only alcoholic
beverage of Japan. Until the last two oI
three centuries sake was not manufactured
on large scale, but each household made
its own supply. Now there are very largs
breweries of this liquor in different part:
of the country There are a great many
varieties of sake to be obtained in com
merce, differing somewhat in taste, fayol
and price, and distinguished by fame,
! names. The proportion of alcohol in SAX
varies from five to fifteen per cent. Tn
sake of Japan is very heating and heavy
and appears to be as vinous in quality anI
strength as European ale and beer. 1t i
favored with honey or sugar. The Indi
ans of Chilli make drink of maize or corn
The grain is first baked, then stepped il
water for a certain time, after which it i
boiled and set by to settle, aud when finei
it is fit to drink.
Indian corn is largely used for distilla
ton throughout North America. and il
South America it appears TO have been
: made into ''chica' or maize beer, at a Yer!
remote period, for ii was a common dris.
of the Indians before the Spanish con
quest The liqnor is said to be of darl
yellow color, with an agreeable, slight!
, bitter taste. 1t IS in universal demand ol
the west coast of South America, and i
consumed in large quantities by the noun
!, tain Indians. Scarcely a single hut in tn
interior is without n jar of this faVorite Ii
auor. From the stalks of the Indian cor
, a LIQUOR is also obtained in Mexico.
, In some of the Rio Plata states the in
!, habitants make liquor from the swee
: pods of the Algarroba (prosopis alba
+ which, when new, is refreshing, but bI
!, comes alcoholized after fermentation. /
2 some districts this liquor is the princip.
attraction at social meetings.
Murwa beer, which is product of IL
Himalayas, is made in this way: Mill
seed is moistened and fermented for tV
:, days. Sufficient for days allowance
then put into a vessel of wicker worl
lined with India rubber to make il waite
tight, and boiling water is poured on
with ladle or gourd from a huge ire
&c cauldron that stands all day over the fir
N The fluid, when quite fresh, tastes like n
h gus of Cape sherry, rather sour.
N In some parts of the east q fiery into,
- eating beverage is made of jaggerberl
IL (sugar), bhang (hempl, poppy seeds, pc
'r per, cardamons and nutmeg. The fe
v mented fruit of the peach gives an exec
. lent brandy, which is chiefly manufactur
:, in the United States ''Peach and hone
ot was a fayorite southern tipple before tel
p perance societies took root in the ''sacr
es soil" In the southern parts of Hunga
= the well-known liquor ''shivowitZa'
4 made from the SILVA plum. The hqu
a called .'maraschino, ;" which is chiefly ma
ufactured in the Italian states and Daln
:. tia, is prepared from variety of cherl
.a The fruit and seed are crushed togeth,
~ ~ one part of honey to the hundred adde
!. - and the whole mass subjected to fermen
= ton, during which process it is distills
e The kernel of the cherry contains the e
=, ments of hydrocyanic acid, and accordir
= ly is much used for communicating its
~, culiar flavor to brandy and liquors. FRI
y the succulent peduncle or fruit stem of I
- cashew nut an excellent spirit has be
y ~ distilled, with diuretic properties simi
- to the best Holland gin. a wine ms
~, from it resembles in taste an ordins
y claret sweetened with sugar, and is a p'
,d ular beverage among the poorer people
~ ~. South America. 1t is the custom of |
20 Brazilians to suck csshew before bre.
~ ~, fast, but at any hour of the day the in
n, is delightful. 1t is sweet and delicio
:, slightly astringent, and wonderful all
- er of thirst. The juice of one cashew
+, said TO be more grateful to q thirsty p
= son than q goblet of purest water.
,1a, Australian aborigines obtained a ferne
ed liquor by soaking the seed vessels
he the pandanus and washing out the swI
an mealy substance contained in the 10y
,a- part between the fibres.
- The national drink of the Mexicans
"A. ''pulque," the fermented sap of the
in quay, or American agave plant. After
AZ, tanning the juice, which is still largely d
cf in the primitive way by cutting the flo'
= stem of the plant and making basin,
,oa depression, where it is taken from,
III nj sucking up the juice into reeds, which
air discharged into pigskins, it is carried
watts made of rawhide for fermentati
~ The sap, which resembles cider, and
- - a very disagreeable smell, taken alone
,sn diluted with water, is common sv
Re beverage in use in Mexico. When
ms mented this liquor is very intoxicati
- conta ming about thirty-six per cent OF
~ ~ cohol. To strangers both the taste
'ar @g the smell of pulque are horrible, so
thing in smell like rotten eggs; but PEI
,uo seem to get accustomed to its flavor,
=; like it as the natives do. Bayard Ia,
- thus speaks of it: 81 can only hzen
nee taste of this beverage to a distillatior
a. sour milk Of there can be such tn
- strongly tinctured with cayenne aud h
al horn" And yet il is national drink,
|. i, the taste for it once acquired, it is a
oaii of nectar in its way, sort of liquid
! nr burger cheese.
ome -
aal. pIs E. p. ARVINE.
ton a fforn alta