When you are comfortably seated in a restaurant the waiter approaches your table and his first question is, "What would you like to drink?" Recently, in two separate restaurants, I ordered a "Tanqueray Gibson, no ice, but cold." To those who are teetotalers, a Gibson is gin, dry vermouth (a tad) and two or three cocktail onions, served in a conical glass.

Both times I was served a Gimlet with onions. A Gimlet is Gin or vodka and lime juice. Onions definitely do not go with Lime Juice.

When your taste buds are expecting something tart and they get something sweet and acidic, it is totally surprising. I send it back for the proper drink but on occasion they have sent back the same wrong drink.

Some of the other pre-dinner drinks I have seen ordered are White Zinfandel (which is really pink), Cosmopolitan or Cosmo (vodka, cranberry juice and Cointreau), Martinis (gin or vodka, vermouth (a tad) with an olive - James Bond likes his shaken, not stirred - What's the difference?), red wine (Merlot seems to be popular) or white wine.

I remember my father sitting down to supper and taking a shot of Canadian Club (rye whisky, which has lost its popularity). He would raise the small glass and always say "Zum Appetit," which means "for my appetite." A pre-dinner drink is definitely a hearty boon to one's zest for food. It gets the gastric juices flowing.

In all fairness, I should also list the non-alcoholic beverages that I have heard ordered before dinner. They include Coke with lemon, Diet Coke with lemon, lemonade, iced tea, iced tea (without ice)."I'll just drink the ice water" is usually met with Chez Bloomberg (tap water) or Evian (imported and more expensive).

Tart Bloody Marys are also appetite enhancers. They are usually served with a stalk of celery and sometimes a shrimp hanging over the rim of the glass. The orange-based screwdrivers are also well-known as pre-dinner drinks.

I'm sorry if I have omitted your favorite "before-dinner libation," but I would be pleased if you sent it to me (with recipe).

Because the food will absorb some or all of the alcohol, I don't think one drink is dangerous. If not, seek out a designated driver to get you home in one piece.