The morning times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1897, 1896-08-30
DEADLY AS ABSINTHE.
Two French COrdials Which Destroy
Both Body and Mind.
AeIn York. Sun

Both Body and Mind.
Nep York Sun.
The Importation Of cordials, Of which
there is a very large consumption In France,
Italy, and soine parts of Germany, has been
increasing largely Of late years, though. for
a time, the increased duty imposed by the
Mckinley tariff bill had an uRfavorable
effect upon such imports. One of the
provisions OF the. Mckinley law (schedule
HI was that any wine, ginger cordial.
or vermouth containing more than "a per
cent of alcohol was To be forfeited, but on
cordials Of a lower alcoholic percentage the
duty was made 80 cents a gallon and S1.60
a case. Prior TO 1 1913 the average impOrta-
tion into this port OF such cordials amounted
to 80 900 cases a year. In the first year
of the Mckinley tariff the increase, gradual
until then. ceased, and there was de-
cline; but recently the importations have
averaged about 80 900 cases year.
Absinthe, much OF which comes from
Switzerland and some from Italy and
France, has long had sinister reputa-
ton "a dangerous cordial. destructive,
when taken to excess, TO the nerve tissues
and especially Injurious to the BRAIN
Absinthe has of late had two rivals
among imported cOrdials. and, as the
taste for fancy beverages is an ire
gular and variable one. changing with the
fashions, these two rivals may continue
TO grow in the good graces OF cordial
drinkers until by some caprice Of drink
ers' taste they are superseded. by rival
or there is ii return in popularity Of alb
sinthe or yernIouth. One of these is amer
picoD. a rich vandyke- brown liquid, made
from acrid plants and favored with range
peel II is usually drunk with an addition
Of one fourth It's volume or curacao and
four times its volume of ice water. The
other is greDadine, a syrup or cordial III ade
from the pomegranate, and when bottled
has the very attractive appearance OF
mixed pink and cherry liquids.
The difference between amer picon and
srenadine is. primarily, ole OF color, the
former being brown and the latter cherry
pink. Still another point of difference
comes from the origin of the two, the amer
picon being French AMI the grenadinc Span
!sh, though both are manufactured extern
sively in the Bordeaux district in France.
These cordials, especially to faded ap-
petite. have a pleasant taste. II is a rather
odd consideration that, though the chief
flavoring ingredients OF cocktails come
either from France. Italy or Spain, COCK
tails among the resident Inhabitants are
practically unknown in these three couh-
tries, and adventurous Americans calling
for cocktails with more OF the fervor Of
patriotism than conception of existing eli.
matte conditions, are referred suiueW hat
contemptcously to American bars in the
cities which have them. The taste for cor
.iials ana liquors owes much in France and
It:iiy to the favor o. wo men, among whom
such dainty beverages as creme de vanilIe
or parfat amour are preferred to stronger
concoctio1s. Absinthe AM amer picon
women do not generally care for. Grena-
dine has n large female constituency. due,
perhaps. to the popularity o, the po gran
ate.