19 / 66
HOJtE BREWED WINES, BEERS, BIQUECRS, ETC.
19
STRAWBERRY VINEGAR.
Strawberries, vinegar. To each pint
of liquid 1 lb. preserving sugar.
Gather ripe and full flavored straw
berries on a dry day, and pick them
carefully. Put them Into a stone jar
and cover them with cider vinegar or
white wine vinegar.
Cover and let
them stand for 24 hours, then strain
through a hair sieve or jelly-bag and
press out all the juice. Measure this
liquid, add sugar in the above propor
tion, and put both into an enameled
saucepan. Boil for 20 minutes, skim,
and leave until cold, when the vinegar
should be bottled and corked securely.
another WAT.—To 1 qt. white
tvine vinegar allow 3 lbs. strawberries,
and to each pint of liquid 1 lb. sugar.
Put 1 lb. of strawberries into a glass
ur stone jar, cover, and stand for 2
days.
Drain off and pour the same
liquid over another pound of strawber
ries, and let this stand again for 2 or
days.
Repeat this operation three
times, using the 3 lbs. of fruit. Then
strain and finish off as above.
VINEGAR,
Take 40 gallons of soft water, 6 qts.
of cheap molasses, and 6 lbs. of acetic
acid; put them into a barrel (an old
vinegar barrel is best), and let them
stand from 3 to 10 weeks, stirring oc
casionally. Add a little "mother" of
old vinegar if convenient.
Age im
proves it.
RECIPE FOR MAKING ARTIPICIAI.
HONEY.
To 10 lbs. sugar add 3 lbs. water; 40
grains cream tartar; 10 drops essence
peppermint; and 3 lbs. strained honey.
First dissolve the sugar in water and
^take off the scum; then dissolve the
cream of tartar in a little warm water
which you will add with some .little
stirring, then add the honey; heat to a
boiling point, and stir for a few
minutes.
TO KEEP APPLES PROM FREEZING.
Apples form an article of chief neces
sity in almost every family; therefore,
great care is taken to keep them from
frost; it being well known that they,
if left unprotected, are destroyed by
the first frost which occurs. They may
be kept in the attic with impunity
throughout the winter, by simply cov
ering them over with a linen cloth;
be sure to have linen, for woolen or
other cloth is of no avail.
TO PRESERVE GRAPES.
Take a cask or barrel which will
hold water, and put into it, first a
layer of bran, dried in an oven or of
ashes well dried and sifted, upon this
place a layer of grapes well cleaned,
and gathered in the afternoon of a dry
day, before they are perfectly ripe;
proceed thus with alternate layers of
bran or ashes and grapes, till the bar
rel is full, taking care that the grapes
do not touch each other, and to let the
last layer be of bran or ashes, then
close the barrel so that the air may
not penetrate, which is an essential
point. Grapes thus packed will keep
for nine or even twelve months. To re
store them to freshness, cut the end of
the stalk of each bunch of grapes, and
put it into red wine, as you would
flowers into water. White grapes should
to put into white wine.
FRUIT CORDIALS AND
SIMPLE LIQUORS
APRICOT GIN.
To 1 lb. apricots weighed after ston
ing allow 2 oz. sugar candy and some
dry gin.
Use ripe apricots, wipe them, and cut
them in slices, removing the stones.
Then take .some wide-necked bottles or
jars, half fill them with the prepared
fruit, add crushed sugar candy in the
above proportion, and a few of the
kernels blanched and sliced. Pill up
with gin and close up tightly. Leave
the cordial for three months, shaking
it up occasionally, then strain or filter,
and rebottle for use.
BL.LCKBERRY CORDIAL.
To each pint of blackberry juice al
low lb. cane sugar, 1 inch cinnamon
stick, 3 or 4 cloves, the rind of half
lemon, and pt. whisky.
Wash the blackberries, put them into
a preserving pan without any water,
.and let them heat slowly until the
juice flows freely, but without letting
them boil. Then strain and leave to
drip. Measure the juice, add the sug
ar, and the spices and lemon rind tied
in muslin. Boil all together for half
hour. Then leave until cold, remove
spice and lemon, and add the whisky.
Mix well, and bottle and cork securely.
BLACK-CURRANT GIN.
To 1 lb. picked black currants allow
% lb. Demerara sugar or Vz lb. sugar
candy, and 1% pts. unsweetened gin.
Select and pick the black currants
carefully, and put them into a wide-
mouthed bottle or stone jar with the
gin. Add the sugar or crushed sugar
candy. Cork tightly and leave for 3
months, shaking occasionally.
Then
strain, pour into small bottles, and seal
securely.