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LIQUORS AND RATAFIAS.
254. Qiloue Qior'bial.
. Infuse in a big glass jar one-fourth ounce of roughly pulver–
ized cloves, half an ounce of likewise prepared coriander, and a
handful of dried cherries in a quart of brandy, five weeks,
i~
the
sun or on a "'.arm place; shake daily. Clear and refine five
ounces of sugar in half a pint of water; skim very carefully, let it
get a little cool, add the infusion and filter through blotting–
paper and glass funnel; bottle and let it lie for a few weeks.
255. (!toffee K.iqtt.enr.
Roast three ounces of the best mocha; grind it; prepare a
syrup out of one pound of sugar and half a pound of water; put
the coffee in the boiling syrup, and let it boil for a few seconds;
mix all with one quart of brandy, cork well, and let it stand for
a month; then filter, and the liquor is ready for use.
256. <!Iognac.
All liquors obtained by distillation of the grape-1mce are
usually called cognac in France , although only that prepared in
the city of Cognac, in the arrondissement of the d epartement
Charente, deserves this name; this is the best, while those from
Languedoc, Armagnac, Auris, Rochelle, and Bordeaux, are all
of inferior quality and less aromatic; but even in the genu ine
cog nac we have to distinguish between many different bra nds,
which depend upon its age, and the results of the wine crop.
In France it also has the names"
T r oi's-si'x,"
corresponding to
its percentage of alcohol, and
"Eau de v i'e,"
while the English
call it " brandy." Charente and Gironde alone produce yearly
more than one million hektoliters
(1
hcktoliter=rns.67 liquid
quarts), The fineness of this liquor increases with its age, a nd
when old enough, assumes the taste of an exceedingly fine,
spmtuous wine. There are many imitations, mostly with spirits
of 90° proof, cognac oil and coloring.