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THE GENTLEMAN'S COMPANION
GREEN
CREME de MENTHE,
an ExcELLENT RECEIPT WE CoL–
LECTED for this VoLuME
in
PARIS SoME YEARS AGo
This is delightfully simple, and as all
Creme de Menthes
are essen–
tially synthetic mixes-in other words assembled and not the result of
special distillations all their own, the amateur can do as well as the
professional.
Oil of peppermint, in any pharmacy,
l
drachm
Good spring or well water, bottled or otherwise,
2
qts
Best grain spirits; or cologne spirits, better still, about
2Yz
cups
Gomme
syrup, to taste
Green colouring, to emerald shade
Blend peppermint oil and spirits, then stir into the sweetened water.
The amount of sugar in this last should be determined by tasting
good
creme de menthe,
and matching it. Now add colouring, stand
covered tightly in a wide-mouthed jar for 5 days, then take a new
white blotting paper _and carefully skim off all excess peppermint oil.
The
2
Yz
cups suggested for spirits content is
20
oz, or roughly 33
l/3
%
alcoholic strength, by volume.
OTHER CORDIALS of SIMILAR EssENTIAL OIL CONSTRUCTION MAY
BE MADE EASILY
Liqueurs of anis, caraway (which parallels kiimmel), clove, and
other liqueurs may be made
in
exactly the same way, and in the same
approximate ratio. Essential oils are available, and much simpler to
use than by infusing seeds or peels in spirits.
THE CELEBRATED RECEIPTS of DR. WILLIAM KITCHINER,
&
DATED 1817, for ORANGE CuRA9Aos No. I,
&
No. II
Dried Seville Orange peel,
Best rectified, or cologne, spirits,
pounded fine, 5 oz
l
qt
(Or the fresh peel of a Shaddock,
Gomme
Syrup, See Page 154,
Grapefruit, ditto)
l
qt