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

Home-made Beverages.

31

Currant Vinegar. See recipe for Black Currant Vinegar. Either white or red currants or equal quantities of each may be used. Currant Water. Bruise a gill of raspberries and a pint of stripped red currants and put them into a preserving pan with a quart of cold water and half a pound of sugar. Boil for ten minutes skimming thoroughly, then strain through a jelly bag, add a little more sugar if necessary, and serve when cold. Currant Whisky. Strip and bruise 2 lb. of white currants, and puttheminto a jar with oneand a half poundsof crushed sugar candy, half oz. bruised cinnamon, J oz. cloves,half oz. blanched and pounded bitter almonds and 2 quarts of good whisky. Infuse for a month, keeping the jar tightly covered, and shaking it daily, then filter into bottles and cork and seal them securely. Currant Wine, Red or White. Strip and bruise 2 gallons of ripe currants, and put them into a tub with 6 lb. of crushed cane sugar, and 3 gallons of water. Cover with a blanket and leave for three days, stirring from time to time. Strain into a cask,reserving a little of the liquid to fill up with as the fermen tation subsides, and when this has quite finished add a pint of sherry and brandy mixed for every gallon of wine. Bung tightly, and bottle in six months time. Damson Cordial. Half fill some wide-mouthed glass bottles with ripe damsons, allow 4 oz. crushed sugar candy, 4 cloves, a small vanilla bean, 2 inches of lemon peel, and a small piece of cinnamon, and bruised ginger to every pound of fruit, fill up the bottles with good brandy, cork tightly and infuse for 6 months,then strain and rebottle. Damson Gin. Prick a quart of sound ripe damsons with a darning needle and infuse them for 3 months in a tightly covered jar with 2 quarts of good unsweetened gin, 24 damson kernels and 2 lb.