1936 Shaking in the 60's by Eddie Clarke

RECIPES OF 100 YEARS AGO

Brandy Peaches Take large yellow or white freestone peaches, not too ripe. Scald them with boiling water, cover and let stand until the water is cold. Repeat this scalding then take out the peaches, lay them on a soft cloth, cover them over with another cloth and let them remain until perfectly dry. Now put them in stone jars or large glass bottles, and cover with brandy. Tie paper over the tops and let them remain this way one week.Then make a syrup,allowing one pound of granulated sugar and halfa pint of water to each pound ofpeaches. Boil and skim the syrup,then put in the peaches and simmer until tender. Then take the peaches out and put them in glass bottles. Stand the syrup aside to cool. When cool, mix equal quantities of this syrup and the brandy in which you had the peaches. Pour this over the peaches and seal. Any brandy that is left, or any brandy and syrup, should be bottled and kept for use in cocktails or cup. It is also excellent for pudding sauces. Cerises A L'eau-de-Vie The cherries should be ripe, firm and well flavoured. Morellos are particularly good,butanyjuicy,well flavoured cherry will do. Gut the stems to within an inch ofthe fruit. Pack them without squeezing, stem upwards into glass bottles, and put amongst the cherries to each quart bottle, four whole cloves, three bitter almonds blanched,a bay leaf, and a strip oflemon peel cut so thin that no white appears. Sift a cupful ofcastor sugar into each bottle,fill up with pure spirits or wine,cork and seal. The bottles should be kept for two years before using. The longer they are kept the better, up to,say,seven or eight years.

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