1885 New Guide Hotel Bar Restaurant

48 THE NEW GUIDE FOR HOTELS, ETC. and allowing them to come to a boil and then divesting them of their outer skin, or the skin may be removed by placing them in a basin, pouring boiling water on them, and then divesting them of the hull. Put the blanched almonds into a mortar, reduce them to a paste with J lb. of lump sugar, which will prevent their oiling — then put them into a bottle or jar with ^ gallon of o. p. spirit. Agitate the jar daily for a week, then leave it another week to settle. Drain off and filter if necessary. Bottle, cork, and seal for use. Tincture of Cloves. Take 1 lb. of cloves, grind them roughly in a spice or coffee mill, put them into a chafing pan over the fire, and thorough- ly heat. Have the jar heating on the hot plate, so that it may be ready to put them in. When done, put them into the jar and pour over \ gallon of o. p. plain spirit. Cork down tightly, for the first week, shake it two or three times a day, then leave it for another week to infuse, carefully draw it off and bottle, cork, and seal. Tincture of Orange. Choose small thin-skinned red and yellow oranges in equal quantities, peel them by drawing a rim round the centre with a knife and inserting a dessert spoon, the hollow next the flesh of the orange, to act as a lever to raise the skin from the body. Place a paper on a tray and lay the oranges with the yellow side downwards ; put in the sun to dry, and on the second or third day, they will be crisp and dry for grind- This is the best method of preserving the spirit aroma or essential oil— but if this cannot be done, dry them in a cool oven with the door open, at a very gentle heat, or on the hot plate. Grind 1 lb. of the peel; add to it 1 gallon of 0, p. plain spirit ; infuse for a fortnight, as with other tinc- tures ; filter and bottle* ing.