“_There is no nation yet known in either hemisphere
where the people of all conditions are more in want of
some cordial to keep up their spirits than in this of
ours._”—SWIFT.
THE following recipes are for the making of cordials by simple mixing
without distillation. Nearly all require straining, and some may
require to be filtered through filter-paper.
_To make Angostura Bitters._—Digest for a month, in a covered vessel, a
mixture of a gallon of rectified spirits, a gallon and a half of water,
two ounces of orange-peel, an ounce and a quarter of angostura bark,
three-quarters of an ounce each of alkanet root and red sanderswood,
half an ounce of gentian root, two drams each of cardamoms, Turkey
rhubarb, cinnamon, caraway, coriander, and wormwood, and fifteen grains
of turmeric. Strain, and add a pound of honey. Filter, and bottle.
_To make Balm of Molucca._—Digest for a month, in a covered vessel, a
mixture of a gallon of rectified spirits, a gallon of water, an ounce
of cloves, and two drams of mace. Filter, and add a gallon of syrup
(containing eight pounds of sugar) and two quarts of water.
_To make Brandy Shrub._—Digest for a month a mixture of a gallon of
brandy, the peel of two oranges and a lemon, a pint each of orange
juice and lemon juice, and five pints of syrup (containing four pounds
of sugar). Strain, and bottle.
_To make Cassis._—Digest for a week, in a covered vessel, a mixture
of a gallon of rectified spirits, half a gallon of water, two ounces
of cinnamon, and sixteen bruised cloves. At the end of the week add a
gallon of black currants, and digest for a further two months. Press
and strain, and add half a gallon of syrup (containing eight pounds of
sugar).
_To make Cherry Brandy._—Digest for three months, in a closed vessel, a
mixture of a gallon of good brandy and a gallon of fresh cherries, of
which about one-quarter of the stones have been broken. Strain, and add
two pounds of loaf sugar.
_To make Crême de Cacao._—Mix a gallon of rectified spirits with six
pints of water, two and a half pints of syrup (containing two and a
half pounds of sugar), and six and a quarter ounces of Bush’s essence
of cocoa.
_To make Crême de Cacao (another way)._—Digest for a month, in a
covered vessel, a gallon of rectified spirits, a quart of water,
two pounds of caracca, roasted and bruised cocoa-nuts, a pound of
West Indian cacao-nuts, and a shred of vanilla. Add a quart of syrup
(containing two pounds of sugar). Strain, and bottle.
_To make Crême de Café._—Digest for a month, in a covered vessel, a
gallon of rectified spirits, two pounds of coffee ground and roasted,
and a gallon of water. Add two quarts of syrup (containing four pounds
of sugar). Strain, and bottle.
_To make Crême de Menthe._—Mix five quarts of rectified spirits,
a quarter of an ounce of oil of peppermint, two gallons of syrup
(containing sixteen pounds of sugar) and half a pint of glycerine.
Colour as with green chartreuse.
_To make Curaçoa._—Digest for a month, in a covered vessel, a mixture
of the peel of nine Seville oranges, the peel of a lemon, a dram each
of cinnamon, coriander, and mace, an ounce of bruised Brazil wood, and
a pint of rectified spirits. This tincture, having been filtered, is
used to flavour a mixture of a gallon of rectified spirits, a gallon of
water, and a gallon of syrup (containing eight pounds of sugar).
_To make Ginger Brandy._—Digest for a month, in a covered vessel,
stirring daily, a mixture of a gallon of brandy, six pounds of sugar,
two pounds of raisins, half a pound of sweet almonds, two ounces each
of bitter almonds and crushed ginger, an ounce of caraway seeds, and
six lemons cut into slices.
_To make Lemon Brandy._—Proceed as with cherry brandy, substituting a
dozen sliced lemons for the cherries, and adding one pound of sugar
only.
_To make Lemon Cordial._—Digest for a month or more, in a closed
vessel, a mixture of a gallon of rectified spirits, half a pound
of lemon-peel, quarter of a pound of orange-peel, half an ounce of
cinnamon, half an ounce of coriander, and five pints of water. Strain,
and add six pints of syrup (containing six pounds of sugar) and three
quarts of water.
[Illustration: COPPER SPIRIT-MEASURE.]
_To make Orange Bitters._—Digest for a month, in a closed vessel, a
mixture of a gallon of rectified spirits, a gallon of water, a pound
of dried orange-peel, half a pound of gentian root, two ounces each
of coriander and cinnamon, and an ounce of cardamoms. Strain, and add
five pints of syrup (containing five pounds of sugar) and two quarts of
water.
_To make Rum Shrub._—As brandy shrub, substituting rum for brandy.
[Illustration: COPPER FUNNEL.]
_To make Sighs of Love._—Mix a gallon of rectified spirits, two
gallons of syrup (containing twelve pounds of sugar), water six pints,
eau de rose one quart, and four drops of essence of vanilla. Colour
delicately with cochineal.
_To make Sloe Gin._—Digest for a year a mixture of a gallon of
unpricked sloes, a gallon of gin, and six or eight pounds of sugar.
_To make Tent._—Digest a mixture of a quart of port, a pint of sherry,
a pint of rectified spirits, a quarter of a pint each of lemon juice
and orange-flower water, three and a half pints of syrup (containing
two pounds of sugar), and three drops of essence of ambergris.
_To make Usquebaugh._—Digest for a month, in a covered vessel, shaking
daily, a mixture of a gallon of brandy, a pound of stoned raisins,
a pound of sugar candy, an ounce each of crushed cinnamon, cloves,
cardamoms, caraways, and nutmeg, a quarter ounce of saffron, and the
rind of a Seville orange.
_To make Vermouth._—Digest for a month, in a closed vessel, a quart of
rectified spirits, two and a half gallons of a white wine, a sliced
orange, two bruised nutmegs, half an ounce each of centaury, germander,
calamus, elecampane, wormwood, and blessed thistle, and a quarter of an
ounce each of gentian root and angelica root. Filter, and bottle.