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

THE EXOTIC DRINKING BOOK .

NOW a CAREFULLY CHOSEN LIST of PLEASANT WINEs, FIRST of which Is a SIMPLE NoRMAN TYPE of CHAMPAGNE, which REQUIRES No YEAST Take cider that still has a very slight sparkle-about 5 or 6 days old, on the above scale. Rack it off through a filtering cloth, or paper, into a sterile keg that has been rinsed with scalding water. To a IO gallon keg allow 3 cups of the finest grain alcohol, or about 2 bottles of brandy, whisky, or gin-if nothing else, and 3 lbs of sugar. Stir and let stand for IO to 12 days with bung in loose. Now "fine," or settle, the wine by the routine given just below, and let settle 4 days longer -about 14 days in all. Rack carefully into champagne bottles, filtering again if at all cloudy. Cork with sound corks, and if we don't wish the risk of bombardment from inner bottle pressure, wire them or tie them on very tightly. Under no condition use ordinary wine or other bottles. They are not made to stand high pressure, and the cellar will be filled with Hying glass, and very untidy explosions. We know! HOW to "FINE," or CLARIFY-WINE the PoRTUGUESE WAY, a RECEIPT DATED 1736, and FouND in GIBRALTAR STARTING a VoYAGE THROUGH the MEDITERRANEAN, via MALLORCA, VILLEFRANcHE, NAPLES, & ATHENS, to HAIFA, which Is in PALESTINE, in the EARLY SPRING of 1931 Allow 5 egg whites and l tbsp of salt to each IO gals of wine. Beat these together into a froth; draw off l pint or so of the wine and add to the eggs. Stir well and add this to the container of wine to be clari– fied. In a few days it will be "fine"-from 3 to 5 usually does the trick. The egg mixture settles out, carrying finely suspended bits of lees and sediment with it. ENGLISH BLACKBERRY WINE, No. I, from NEAR WHIPSNADE . ' HERTFORDSHIRE, 1932 I This receipt is a time-tested one and has been in use to our know!- • 159 •