James Mew & John Ashton

Drinks of the world

London, Leadenhall Press & New York, Scribner. 1892. 362 pages, 100 illustrations 

followed by 14-page insert of publisher listings

Rarely found, this work is notable not only for its interesting illustrated content of beverages 

but also being published by the legendary Leadenhall Press.

Describes and discusses the history of all forms of beverages including beer, ciders & kvas, 

wines, American drinks including cocktails, coffee, tea, spirits, hippocras & hydromel, liqueurs,

fermented milk beverages, water, including from plants, vinegar etc etc.  As noted in the 

introduction, it seeks to interest, rather than inform and thus excludes judgments on medical status,

quality, price or adulteration.  There is coverage of a wide range of countries and regions.

The chapter on American drinks quotes Jerry Thomas who is described as follows

"The great authority, probably the greatest authority, on this interesting subject is a gentleman 

who, with the true modesty of genius, allows himself to be known only by the pseudonym of 

Jerry Thomas. Formerly a bar-tender at the Metropolitan Hotel, New York, and the Planter's 

House, St. Louis, he is said to have traveled over Europe and America in search of all that is 

recondite in this branch of the spirit art. His very name, says one of his admirers, is synonymous 

in the lexicon of mixed drinks with all that is rare and original. Among, the chief American drinks 

are, being alphabetically arranged, cobblers, cocktails, cups, flips, juleps, mulls, nectars, 

neguses, noggs, punches, of which there are at least three score, sangarees, shrubs, slings, 

smashes, and toddies"