1922 Home-Made Beverages and American Drinks by M E Steedman

Home-made Beverages.

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Black Currant Liqueurs Put 2 quarts of fine ripe black currants into a large jar, add 1 lb. of crushed sugar candy, 6 cloves, and 3 pints of brandy. Cover the jar tightly, and infuse for 3 months, then filter into bottles, and cork and seal them securely. Black Currant Syrup. See recipe for Blackberry Syrup. Black Currant Tea. Put a large table-spoonful of black currant jam,a dessert-spoonful oflemon juice,and a pint of boiling water into a jug. Stir well, add sugar to taste, cover the jug,and let the mixture infuse by the side of the fire for 30 minutes. Strain and serve either hot or cold. Black Currant Vinegar. Put 4 quarts of ripe black currants, and 2 pints of picked and washed youngcurrantleaves into a preserving pan,and stir over the fire until the juice flows freely. Strain through a jelly bag, measure the juice, allow 12 oz. pure cane sugar to every pint, and boil together for twenty minutes, skimming carefully. When cold, mix in 3 gills of white wine vinegar to every pint of syrup, then measure again, allow a gill of brandy to every quart of liquid, and store in airtight bottles. Black Currant Wine. Put 4 gallons of cold water and 4 gallons of fresh black currant juice into a cask with 14 lb. of pure cane sugar. Leave in a warm place till the fermentation has ended,then rack it off into a smaller cask,add a pint of good brandy to every 3 gallons of wine, bung the cask tightly and leave for 9 months, then bottle, and in 12 months time it will be fit to drink. Bomba. Blanch 1 oz. sweet almonds and 1 bitter almond,and pound them in a mortar to asmooth paste with 1 oz. castor sugar. Add very gradu ally 1 pint of cold water,than strain and serve. Brandy Shrub. Put the thinly pared rind of 2lemons,one and a half pounds pure cane sugar and the strained

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