Cups and Their Customs

This volume gathers a tidy selection of recipes for what the author calls “Cups,” modest compound drinks that blend spirits, herbs, and fruit. Each formula is presented with clear step‑by‑step instructions, practical tips, and brief explanations of the flavoring plants—borage, basil and other herbs that once graced banquet tables. The author strives to keep the techniques approachable for anyone new to mixed‑drink craft, while still respecting the finer rules of gastronomy that have guided drink‑making for centuries.

Beyond the how‑to, the book weaves a short survey of drinking customs from ancient feasts to the author’s own Victorian parlours, noting how attitudes toward temperance and conviviality have shifted. Light anecdotes about the social role of a well‑made cup, and gentle commentary on the balance between pleasure and moderation, give the reader a sense of the cultural backdrop. The result is a handbook that invites both casual hosts and curious experimenters to revive a more genial, health‑conscious tradition of shared libations.