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

THE GENTLEMAN'S COMPANION

GREEN CREME de MENTHE, an ExcELLENT RECEIPT WE CoL– LECTED for this VoLuME in PARIS SoME YEARS AGo This is delightfully simple, and as all Creme de Menthes are essen– tially synthetic mixes-in other words assembled and not the result of special distillations all their own, the amateur can do as well as the professional. Oil of peppermint, in any pharmacy, l drachm Good spring or well water, bottled or otherwise, 2 qts Best grain spirits; or cologne spirits, better still, about 2Yz cups Gomme syrup, to taste Green colouring, to emerald shade Blend peppermint oil and spirits, then stir into the sweetened water. The amount of sugar in this last should be determined by tasting good creme de menthe, and matching it. Now add colouring, stand covered tightly in a wide-mouthed jar for 5 days, then take a new white blotting paper _and carefully skim off all excess peppermint oil. The 2 Yz cups suggested for spirits content is 20 oz, or roughly 33 l/3 % alcoholic strength, by volume. OTHER CORDIALS of SIMILAR EssENTIAL OIL CONSTRUCTION MAY BE MADE EASILY Liqueurs of anis, caraway (which parallels kiimmel), clove, and other liqueurs may be made in exactly the same way, and in the same approximate ratio. Essential oils are available, and much simpler to use than by infusing seeds or peels in spirits. THE CELEBRATED RECEIPTS of DR. WILLIAM KITCHINER, & DATED 1817, for ORANGE CuRA9Aos No. I, & No. II Dried Seville Orange peel, Best rectified, or cologne, spirits, pounded fine, 5 oz l qt (Or the fresh peel of a Shaddock, Gomme Syrup, See Page 154, Grapefruit, ditto) l qt