1939 The Gentleman's Companion volume II Beeing an Exotic Drinking Book

THE EXOTIC DRINKING BOOK

2 days, then strain this off and add to the spirits. Put in burnt sugar for colour. Filter again, let stand until it settles perfectly clear, then bottle for use-being careful not to agitate the slight precipitation or sediment during this final operation. HELL-FIRE BITTERS or CAYENNE WINE, another RECEIPT from the IsLAND of TRINIDAD, in the BRITISH WEST INDIES, and Now and AGAIN UsED in GIN-and-BITTERS, & OTHER SIMILAR SHARP DRINKS instead of routine BITTERS by STOUT ENGL1sm.1EN with BOILER PLATE GASTRIC LININGS This is an old, old receipt dating to 1817 in print right here before us-and likely long before that, because the British knew Port of Spain a century and a half before. In fact we have just been diving up coins, cannons, shot, crystal goblets and other miscellaneous relics from HMS WINCHESTER, 60 guns, 933 tons, commanded by one John Soule, and while bound from Jamaica to England, sank in a gale on a certain coral barrier reef, 24th September 1695-and have the loot to prove it! And photographs; and cinl!ma film. This Hell-Fire Bitters is an excellent cooking and seasoning sauce for fish, salads, soups and meats, when ·mixed half and half with strained lime juice and stood for 2 wks, in an uncovered bottle, be– fore using-a fact which has been disclosed in Volume I. Pound up 2 cups of scarlet round bird peppers, or small chilis or cayenne peppers. Put in a saucepan with l cup of tart white wine; simmer up once and turn everything into a pint jar, add l cup of cognac brandy and seal jar tight. Let steep for 14 days, strain through several thicknesses of cloth and bottle for use. lWien used solely for seasoning food, put everything through a fine sieve. These peppers have a vast am~unt of flavour in .the~r scarlet skin and flesh, entirely aside from the mtense h at of their 01ls. Seeds for their home growth in ordinary window boxes, flower pots, or rusty tin cans!, may be bought at any half-way seed store. If no fresh peppers are possible simply stir ~ oz of ground cayen~e' pepper into the wine-brandy mix. Claret and brandy, claret alone, • 1 53 .