quarte of red wyne, an ounce of synamon, and halfe an ounce of
gynger; a quarter of an ounce of greynes (probably of paradise) and long
pepper, and halfe a pounde of sugar; and brose (_bruise_) all this (_not
too small_), and then put them in a bage (_bag_) of wullen clothe, made,
therefore, with the wynee; and lete it hange over a vessel, till the
wynee be run thorowe."--_An extract from Arnold's Chronicle._

It is a custom which almost universally prevails in the northern parts
of Europe, to present _a dram_ or glass of _liqueur_, before sitting
down to dinner: this answers the double purpose of a whet to the
appetite, and an announcement that dinner is on the point of being
served up. Along with the dram, are presented on a waiter, little square
pieces of cheese, slices of cold tongue, dried tongue, and dried toast,
accompanied with fresh _caviar_.

We again caution the cook to avoid over-seasoning, especially with
predominant flavours, which, however agreeable they may be to some, are
extremely disagreeable to others. See page 50.

Zest (No. 255), soy (No. 436), cavice, coratch, anchovy (No. 433), curry
powder (No. 455), savoury ragout powder (No. 457), soup herb powder (No.
459 and 460), browning (No. 322), catchups (No. 432), pickle liquor,
beer, wine, and sweet herbs, and savoury spice (No. 460), are very
convenient auxiliaries to finish soups, &c.

The proportion of wine (formerly sack, then claret, now Madeira or port)
should not exceed a large wine-glassful to a quart of soup. This is as
much as can be admitted, without the vinous flavour becoming remarkably
predominant; though not only much larger quantities of wine (of which
claret is incomparably the best, because it contains less spirit and
more flavour, and English palates are less acquainted with it), but even
_veritable eau de vie_ is ordered in many books, and used by many
(especially tavern cooks). So much are their soups overloaded with
relish, that if you will eat enough of them they will certainly make you
drunk, if they don't make you sick: all this frequently arises from an
old cook measuring the excitability of the eater's palates by his own,
which may be so blunted by incessant tasting, that to awaken it,
requires wine instead of water, and Cayenne and garlic for black pepper
and onion.

Old cooks are as fond of _spice_, as children are of _sugar_, and season
soup, which is intended to constitute a principal part of a meal, as
highly as s