Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-10-16
SPARKLING

Washington Spec. New York Journal:
Albion W. Tourgee. author OF "A Fools
Errand" and Bricks without Straw" and
the United States consul OF Bordeaux.
has sent an interesting consular report as
to Frances new drink, piQuette. manu-
featured chiefly out Of American dried
APP les.
Mr.. Tourgee's article is headed New
Use for American Dried Apples in
France" He writes:
1T is a curious fact that the consump-
ton Of wine in France is steadily di-
minishing. This results from a variety
of causes, prominent among which is a
general belief among the common peo-
pie that the product of the wine is apt
to be deteriously a~dulterated.
whether this is true or not, it is a
matter Of such universal comment that
they naturally make it an excuse for dis
carding wine and indulging in a beverage
which they declare is too cheap for any
body to dream of adulterating.
Their first epo was to the product
Of the apple and pear orchards of Nor
mandy and Brittany. In 1895 the con-
sumption Of cider in Paris amounted to
10. 600, 900 gallons. but in consequence of
the bare apple harvests of 1895 and 1897
this fell in 1898 to an utterly insignifi-
cant figure.
~ 1AlpOl " C!uc IL lI1C
demand was impossible. because Of the
prohibitive duties of $50 francs per hec-
tolitfe. amounting with the octroi duty
10 about 16 cents a gallon in Paris.
0 course. no man could pay a tax Of
4 cents a quart and furnish a drink cheap
enough to meet the demand for cider
which was not diluted to any extent with
water and retain it's peculiar tang It
became necessary, therefore, to find a
substitute.
With the English or American taste
thiss substitute would probably have been
fornd in a sort of beer or some more
alcoholic product. But the Frenchman.
il he is not addicted to absinthe. usually
cares little for the alcoholic character Of
his favorite tipple. What he want Is
not to become intoxicated, but to have
a pleasant drink which he can sip by the
hour in company with his friends.
1.-TWO things are essential. First, it
must have a pleasant. fruity flavor (if
a little piquant so much the better), and.
second. it must not make too heavy a
drain upon his purse. The Bourgeois
rarely allows his palate to maze him for
ge- his pocket. Cheapness and brisk
ress are essential elements OF a popular
drink for the French people.
Out of these conditions, aided by the
genius of some unknown mixer Of drinks
In Paris, was evolved 'piquette." a spark
ling fruity beverage. composed of dried
apples. raisins and water. allowed to
stand until fermentation takes place and
then bottled with the addition of a little
sugar or served directly from the cask.
1.-TWO cents a glass is the ordinary
charge of the buvette for this spicy, and,
as a rule, harmless, beverage. A franc
go cents) will furnish a man a treat
which is good for two hours sitting at the
buvette, but hardly develop enough alco-
holic influence percepti bly, to reduce the
ordinary liveliness of the lc-sue.
! 'The following is the receipt given me
for it's preparation by one Of the leading
manufacturers of Boredaux:
"Piquette-Five pounds of raisins. five
pounds of dried apples n five gallons
of water. Put in an open raSk and let
stand for three days: bottle with a hall
tea sponful of sugar ard a bit of cinna-
mon in each bottle. Vary the flavor to
suit the taste.
1T is really a pleasant summer bever-
age and if made in the United States
might take the pla ce of some of our mys-
ferrous docotions with decided advantage
to health.
1.-The special American interest ir
piduette, however, is found at present
in the fact that dried apples, u of which
1T is made, are imported from the United
States. In 1898 10000, 900 gallons of this
piquant beverage We're consumed IL
France, against 35. 900. 900 in 1897. Thu
dried apples used in it's manufacture arr
lowest grade of windfalis-sliced, includ.
ing skins, cores and 'inhab1tants,' with.
out distinction as to quality or variety
except as follows:
II. The slices must be we'll dried anl
securely packed, so as not to color or hea
upon the voyag The slices must b.
white and have a spicy dor or they will
not sell.
:" Decayed or overripe fruit should
not be used, as it gives too dark a colo
to the product, and will not bring a, price
sufficient to pay cost of shipment.
The consumption of this beverage 4
rapidly increasing in France. and it il
said that the cider crop of this year il
likely to be so short as to create an eyel
greater demand for it.
made of carefully assorted fruit, I
should be a valuable addition to on
household drinks, since but little need b.
made at a time, and it is both piquan
and practically innocuous."