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LIQUORS AND RATAFIAS.
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284.
N
alifka.
A kind of a light fruit liquor; it is made mostly of berries and
cherries, but also of plums and apples, and is very highly estim–
ated in Russia, and prepared there in almost all houses, especially
in the country. The best nalifkas are won of the
Rubus Chamce–
morus,
which grows only in Russia, Norway, Sweden, East
Prussia, and the northern part of England, of the black and red
currants, of the berries of the mountain ash, and of cherries.
All these fruits must be very ripe; those of the mountain must
not be gathered before the first frost.
Fill a big glass jar two-thirds full with berries, and pour over
it cognac to fill the jar; close the jar with a piece of muslin;
expose it from two to three months to the direct action of the
sunlight, and shake every second or third day. Then filter the
nalifka through a funnel covered with linen and absorbent cot–
ton, until it flows off perfectly clear; fill into ordinary wine
bottles. Add to each three or four bottles of nalifka one bottle
of water, and to each bottle of the thinned liquor four ounces of
sugar that has been refined in boiling water to a consistent
syrup. Add to this syrup the whole quantity of nalifka, heat
the fluid, while constantly stirring, nearly to the boiling-point;
take it from the fire, and pour it into an earthen or china pot.
After cooling, bottle, cork and seal; you may either use it right
away, or keep it.
285. Nonparcil €iqtuur.
Pe.ela perfectly ripe pineapple, cut it into slices and mash
them; add twenty of the best white plums, cut in two, and with–
out the pits-and one dozen of ve1y aromatic pears. To each
four pounds of fruit take six pounds of loaf-sugar, and one and
a half quarts of water; boil all this for three-quarters of an hour
in an enameled pot; pour it into a tureen, add three quarts
af –
fine cognac, cover it air-tight, let it stand for six weeks, filter
through a· jelly-bag, and bottle.