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THE EXOTIC DRINKING BOOK .
NOW a CAREFULLY CHOSEN LIST of PLEASANT WINEs, FIRST
of which Is a SIMPLE NoRMAN TYPE of CHAMPAGNE, which REQUIRES
No YEAST
Take cider that still has a very slight sparkle-about 5 or
6
days old,
on the above scale. Rack it off through a filtering cloth, or paper, into
a sterile keg that has been rinsed with scalding water. To a
IO
gallon
keg allow 3 cups of the finest grain alcohol, or about
2
bottles of
brandy, whisky, or gin-if nothing else, and 3 lbs of sugar. Stir and
let stand for
IO
to 12 days with bung in loose. Now "fine," or settle,
the wine by the routine given just below, and let settle 4 days longer
-about 14 days in all. Rack carefully into champagne bottles, filtering
again if at all cloudy. Cork with sound corks, and if we don't wish the
risk of bombardment from inner bottle pressure, wire them or tie
them on very tightly.
Under no condition use ordinary wine or other bottles. They are
not made to stand high pressure, and the cellar will be filled with
Hying glass, and very untidy explosions. We know!
HOW to "FINE," or CLARIFY-WINE the PoRTUGUESE WAY, a RECEIPT
DATED 1736, and FouND in GIBRALTAR STARTING a VoYAGE THROUGH
the MEDITERRANEAN, via MALLORCA, VILLEFRANcHE, NAPLES,
&
ATHENS,
to HAIFA, which Is in PALESTINE, in the EARLY SPRING of 1931
Allow 5 egg whites and
l
tbsp of salt to each
IO
gals of wine. Beat
these together into a froth; draw off
l
pint or so of the wine and add
to the eggs. Stir well and add this to the container of wine to be clari–
fied.
In
a few days it will be "fine"-from 3 to 5 usually does the trick.
The egg mixture settles out, carrying finely suspended bits of lees
and sediment with it.
ENGLISH BLACKBERRY WINE, No. I, from NEAR WHIPSNADE
.
'
HERTFORDSHIRE, 1932
I
This receipt is a time-tested one and has been in use to our know!-
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