Take twenty Gallons of Water, and forty Pounds of fine Sugar, mix these
together, boil and clarify it with the Whites of Eggs: against this is
done, have two hundred middling Oranges, pared so thin that no White appear
upon the Rinds; and as soon as the Syrup is taken off the Fire, put the
Peels of five and twenty Oranges into it; and when the Liquor is quite
cold, put in the Juice of the Oranges, with some fresh Ale-Yeast spread
upon a warm Toast of white Bread; let this work two days, and then put it
into the Vessel or Cask, adding at the same time, two Gallons of white
_Port_ Wine; and then to every Gallon of Liquor, add an Ounce of Syrup of
Citron, or Syrup of Lemon, and in two Months time it be fit to bottle.
In this Month it may not be unneccessary to observe that Oranges are
declining, and waste apaces; but they are commonly very cheap, and
therefore such as have a great Call for Orange-peel, as Confectioners,
_&c._ now buy them in quantities; but a little Carriage by Land will
contribute to their quicker decay. The Orange, tho' it is not found in
every Garden, yet I esteem it as a necessary Fruit in many Cases, and what
a Family can hardly be without; and truly considering how good Oranges we
might have in our Gardens, and how easily they may be cultivated against
Garden-walls, I much wonder that they are not more generally planted with
us. There is a very good Instance of their prospering well against a Wall,
and thriving in the natural Ground, at Mr. _Heather_'s, a curious Gentleman
at _Tiwittenham_, which Trees bear very well, and bring very large Fruit.
But as I have observ'd above, that this is the Season when foreign Oranges
are generally in the greatest plenty about _London_, it is a good time to
preserve their Juice; especially it may prove useful to such as have
opportunities of vending _Punch_ in large Quantitles, or for such who find
that Liquor agreeable to them: For tho' I have known several who have
express'd the Juice of Oranges and Lemons, and bottled it up against a dear
Time, yet such Juice has turn'd to be of a very disageeable Sourness in a
short season. The Method which I have taken to preserve this Juice to be
used in Punch, was to express the Juice, and pass it thro' a Jelly-bag,
with about two Ounces of double-refined Loaf-Sugar to each Pint of Juice,
and a Pint of Brandy, or Arrack; bottle this up, and cork it well with
sound Corks, and you may keep it a Year. Before you pass this Liquor thro'
the Bag, you may put about the Rind of two Oranges to steep for two Hours,
into each Quart of Liquor, which will give it a rich Flavour. When you have
occasion to use it for Punch, it is at the discretion of the Maker to add
what quantity of Brandy, or Arrack, he thinks proper, only remembring that
there is already a Pint in each Bottle. This may be of good advantage to
Inn-keepers, _&c._ who live remote from _London_; and by this way they need
not run the hazard of losing this sort of Fruit, by bruising or rotting,
which they will be subject to, if they are not well pack'd, and have bad
Roads. And besides, considering the vast difference that there is in the
Price of Oranges, so much, that at some Seasons you must pay as much for
one, as will at another time purchase near a Dozen, it is the best to
consider of this when they are at the cheapest Price. We may likewise use
the same Method with Lemons; but it is not convenient to steep any of the
Peels in the Liquor, for they will give it a disagreeable Flavour. But it
is to be understood also, that Lemons are to be met with in perfection all
the Year; only this Season they are at the cheapest Price. The Peel of an
Orange or two may be put to each Quart of Juice, to steep as above
directed, bruising every piece of Peel as you put it into the Juice. Note,
that the Lemon and Orange Juice must not be mix'd together in the same
Bottles.
* * * * *