In hot summer weather there are few drinks more refreshing than a deep draught out of a really good cup. Cups have the advantage of hiding the deficiencies of wines that are not altogether of the first quality - we will not say brand, as the two terms are not synonymous. Cups also are wine diluted, and in really thirsty weather can be therefore taken with greater impunity. Thirdly, they are far cheaper than wine alone.

In making every kind of cup it is essential to have ice, and it will too often be found that the common habit is to add a large lump of ice to the cup itself, the result being that the cup gets gradually poorer and poorer. In making all kinds of cup, whether claret, champagne, cider, etc., it is always best to first mix or nearly mix the cup, and place the liquid in a jug or any vessel that can be covered over, and to stand this vessel in rough ice. The advantage of this is that the cup cools without deteriorating.

Another important point is that many cups, such as claret, owe their refreshing briskness to soda or seltzer water being added to them. When this is the case, always leave this addition to the last moment before the cup is wanted for drinking. Were you to add the soda water to the claret, and then place all in ice for, say, an hour to cool, the cup itself would be as dead as if water only, instead of soda water, had been added.

Again, all sparkling cups, such as champagne, Moselle, cider, etc, should not be allowed to stand long before they are drank, as by so doing they lose all their sparkling properties. In any case, take care that the champagne, Moselle, cider, etc, has been iced in the bottle before it is opened. Also, whenever soda water is used, let this be cold - not frozen - before it is opened. When all this is done there is no harm in adding a small lump of ice to float in the cup at the last moment, so long as you are sure that the ice is pure.

Remember that filthy and stagnant water will freeze. A good deal of rough ice is exceedingly impure and injurious.

A good deal of so-called Wenham Lake ice is really nothing more than rough ice.

In all cups that require sweetening it is always best to have ready a little syrup. Indeed, it will be found a great saving of time, when cups are wanted often, to have a bottle of syrup. This is made by pouring boiling water on some sugar - 1 lb. to a pint - and letting it get cold, and then pouring it off into a bottle. This syrup can be added gradually, and the cup can be tasted with a spoon, and it will be known at once when it is sweet enough. On the other hand, if the stupid fashion of throwing in some lumps of sugar haphazard be adopted, the probability is that the last half of the cup, owing to the sugar not having thoroughly dissolved at first, will be so sweet as to be scarcely drinkable.

The late Mr. Francatelli, a very great authority on all matters of taste, recommended bruised sugar-candy to sweeten most kinds of cups. I regret to say I have never tried the receipt. He also recommended the addition of sugar to champagne, Moselle cup, etc. This is, of course, purely a matter of taste. Those who have drunk champagne abroad know how sweet indeed is the foreign tooth compared to the English.

Claret Cup

Pour a bottle of sound claret into a jug, add three slices of lemon, with all the pips previously removed, one thin strip of cucumber-peeling, the length of the little finger, and the thickness of the blade of a knife. Sweeten according to taste with some syrup. Add a wineglassful of brandy, a dessertspoonful of Maraschino, and place the jug in ice to get quite cold. Add also, if possible, a small bunch of balm, and another of borage. After letting this stand in ice for half an hour or more, strain it off into the "cup," grate a little nutmeg over the top, and add a bottle of iced soda-water, just before serving.

N.B. - A ripe orange sliced up can be used instead of the lemon; avoid, however, adding the two outside slices, as it is apt to make the cup bitter.

Noyeau can be substituted for Maraschino. When there is no liqueur obtainable, two or three drops of essence of almonds added to the brandy-is almost as good as noyeau.

The balm and borage are not absolutely indis-pensible.

Champagne Cup

Pour a bottle of iced champagne into the cup; add two slices of lemon-peel, one thin strip of cucumber, a small bunch of balm, and another of borage when obtainable. Add a teaspoonful of Maraschino, and a bottle of iced soda water. Put a small lump of ice in the cup.

N.B. - Two or three slices of a ripe orange may be substituted for the lemon.

Badminton Cup

One bottle of sound Burgundy. Syrup to taste. One orange cut in slices, rind and all. A strip of cucumber-peel. A bunch of balm and another of borage. If possible, add to these a few leaves of verbena, and a wineglassful of Curacao.

Let all this stand in a jug in the ice for an hour, then strain it off, add a bottle of iced soda-water, just before serving.

Cider Cup

Pour one quart of cider into a jug, add a bunch of balm, and another of borage, two or three slices of lemon, or an orange sliced up, avoiding the two outside slices. A little syrup can be added or not, according to the sweetness of the cider. Add also a good-sized glass of golden or brown sherry, a small glass of brandy, and a teaspoonful of Maraschino. Let this stand and cool in the ice. The cider should be iced before the bottle is opened if it is sparkling cider. When quite cool, strain off. Add a very little grated nutmeg, and a bottle of iced soda-water.

Beer Cup

Take a quart of strong Bass's Al Burton ale. Add to it a little brown sugar, about half an ounce, some grated ginger, and about half a grated nutmeg. Let this stand for about an hour, stirring occasionally. Then add a large piece of crust of bread, toasted a dark brown, similar to that used in making Toast and Water. Let this swim in the cup, which must not be iced. This cup is more suitable for winter than summer. It can be handed round with the cheese.

Pineapple Cup

Cut up a ripe pineapple into very thin slices, and add them to a bottle of iced champagne. Add also, if possible; a few verbena leaves, a dessertspoonful of Maraschino, and a bottle of iced soda-water.

Moselle Cup

Proceed exactly as in making Champagne Cup, with the exception of no cucumber-peel. Orange cannot be substituted for lemon. The lemon must be fresh and hard.

Hock Cup

One bottle of Hock, a bunch of balm and another of borage, two or three slices of lemon, or five or six of orange, a small glass of brandy, and a teaspoonful of Maraschino. Also a very little syrup can be added. Let all stand and get quite cold in a jug, then strain off, and add one or two bottles of iced soda-water before serving.