| Drinking, in all of its forms, is one of the simplest | | | | such a wonderfully fresh, summer aroma. |
| sources of pleasure in life, whether you are a | | | | Cook's Nips: this recipe, or the practice itself |
| tee-totaller or not. All peoples' from all cultures in | | | | actually, is a great comfort to any cook. Take a |
| all nations around the world use drinking to | | | | large screw top jar and rinse it out. Place half a |
| demostrate celebration of some important event | | | | dozen or more prunes in to bottom and cover |
| or other from births, marriages and even deaths | | | | them with brandy. Replace the lid. Now, every |
| to birthdays, anniversaries in general and | | | | time there is a little left in a bottle of spirits or |
| graduation in all its forms too. | | | | liqueur, pour it into your jar. It does not matter |
| In the West, the drink imbibed is usually alcohol, if | | | | which spirits of liqueurs make up the mixture. |
| the occasion is suitable and age limits permit, in | | | | Keep until the jar is at least half full before |
| other countries or cultures it could be tea or milk. | | | | sampling. The liquid will turn brown of its own |
| Whatever, we drink, the point is that drinking is an | | | | accord and every glass will taste slightly different. |
| act of the celebration of life more so than eating, | | | | Take one nip a day, as required. |
| actually, although that too is another form of | | | | Knock Out: when I was in the Soviet Union in the |
| celebration, the two often going together. But | | | | seventies, there was a shortage of corkscrews, |
| mammals can go longer without food than they | | | | but no shortage of wine. If I had known that |
| can without water, which makes up over 90% of | | | | before I went, I could have made my holiday |
| most common drinks with the exception of neat | | | | money over and over again, but the ingenious |
| spirits and some fortified wines. | | | | locals had their own way out of the fix. First take |
| Which child does not like a milk shake? Which adult | | | | off any wrapping around the cork, then wrap a |
| does not enjoy a cup of tea or coffee? Who in | | | | tea towel neatly around the base of the bottle |
| the world does not enjoy a glass of cold water | | | | and bang the base firmly against a wall several |
| during a hot day's work? So, with that in mind, I | | | | times in rapid succession. Wait. Sometimes, you |
| offer you five of my top five tips for enjoying a | | | | have to tap it a few more times, but the cork will |
| drink. | | | | slowly emerge from the bottle as if by magic. I |
| Herbs And Spices: if you are looking for the ideal | | | | never saw my Russian friends spill a drop of wine, |
| cold drink on a hot day in the garden, nothing is | | | | but that may take some practice. |
| better that the following refreshing drink. Gather | | | | Cork It: if the cork refuses to go back into an |
| some fresh mint and infuse in boiling water for at | | | | unfinished bottle, hold the cork under boiling water |
| least five minutes. Add sugar to taste, but I think | | | | for a few seconds and try again. |
| that none tastes better. Remove the leaves, | | | | It's All In The Wrist Action: if you suffer from |
| allow to cool and add as much ice as possible. | | | | arthritis or do not have much strength in your |
| Then add the special ingredient, a few fresh basil | | | | wrists, use a pair of nut crackers to open a bottle |
| flowers to each glass or jug. Basil flowers give off | | | | of champagne. It is so much easier. |