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Home-made Beverages.
crushed sugar candy, shaking occasionally.
Strain through filtering paper and store in air
tight bottles.
Damson. Ratafia.
Take the kernels from 4 lb. damsons, and
pound them in a mortar with 2oz. bitter almonds
and a spoonful of brandy. Infuse them for six
weeks in a tightly closed jar with 2 quarts of
good brandy, shaking twice daily. Dissolve
one and a half pounds sugarcandyin half a pint
of cold water, add the strained brandy, filter
into bottles, and cork and seal them securely.
Damson Syrup.
Put some ripe damsons in a jar, place it in a
pot of water, and boil until the juice flows
freely. Strain through a jelly bag, measure
the liquid, allow 1 lb. pure cane sugar to every
pint of juice, and boil together for ten minutes,
skimming carefully. When cold, pour into
bottles, place a little olive oil on the top, and
cork and seal securely. When required remove
the oil with a piece of cotton wool, and dilute
the syrup to taste with plain or aerated water.
Damson Vinegar.
See recipe for Apricot Vinegar.
Damson Water.
See recipe for Peach Water.
Damson Wine.
BoU 16 lb. of pure cane sugar and 21 quarts
of water together for half an hour, removing the
scum as it rises, then add 16 quarts of stalked
and stoned damsons, and boil for 30 minutes
longer, stirring and ^-skimming frequently.
Strain through a fine sieve into a large bowl, and
when lukewarm add a gill of good yeast, and
let it ferment for three or four days. Draw off
into a cask, filter the lees, and fill up the cask
with them as the fermentation subsides. When
this has ended, add one and a half pints of good
brandy, bung the cask tightly, and leave it for
six months,then rack it off,filter the lees through
a piece of folded flannel, and fill up the cask
again, adding an ounce of isinglass dissolved
in a quart of the wine. Bung securely and
leave for two years, then bottle.