Cookery for every household

Choose ripe and juicy red currants, pick them carefully, and put them into a large jar. Set this in a saucepan of boiling water, and boil until the juice has run freely from the currants. Then strain through a jelly cloth or fine hair sieve. Measure the juice, and to each pint allow 1 lb. of sugar and \ gill French brandy. Put the sugar and juice into a saucepan, stir over the fire until dissolved, bring to the boil, and boil 3 or 4 minutes. Skim, and add the brandy. Strain the syrup through fine muslin, bottle and use as required. Add some of this syrup to iced water, or aerated water, for a summer drink. 2992. Rum Punch 3 pts. cold water. \ pt. strong tea. 1 lb. loaf sugar. f pt. rum. 4 oranges. 1 lemon. Put the sugar and water into a saucepan, add the thinly-peeled rind of half a lemon and one orange, stir until dissolved, bring to the boil and boil 5 minutes. Then remove the saucepan from the fire, add the juice of the lemon and all the oranges, the tea, which must be well made and strong, and 4 pint of good rum. Strain carefully, and serve either hot or cold. 2993. Sherry Punch Put a wine-glassful of sherry into a tumbler with the strained juice of one orange and half a lemon. Add sugar to taste, and about 2 table-spoonfuls finely-crushed ice. A few thin slices of orange or lemon, free from pits, may also be added, or a few raspberries and strawberries when in season. Sip the punch through a straw. 2994. Sloe Gin Sloes. Unsweetened gin. Cloves. Barley sugar or sugar candy. Essence of almonds or noyeau. Choose ripe sloes, wipe them well, pick off the stalks, and prick each one several times with a needle. Have ready some clean and dry quart bottles, and half fill them with the fruit, shaking it well down. To each bottle add 1 clove, 2 oz. crushed sugar candy, and a few drops of essence of almonds or a little noyeau. Then fill up with unsweetened gin. Cork the bottles securely, and keep them in a moderately warm place for three months, shaking them occasionally. At the end of this time, open the bottles and strain the gin through fine muslin until clear. Then re-bottle and cork securely again, and store till wanted. Note. — Damsons may be used in the same way. 2996. Cider Cup 2 pts. sparkling cider. 1 to 2 oz. castor sugar. A sprig of borage. 1 lemon. 2 bottles soda water. 1 small glass brandy. Cut the lemon in slices, and put that, and all the ingredients except the soda water, into a large jug, and stand on ice for 1 hour at least. Then strain off into another jug, and add the soda water, also iced, at the last. This is a very cooling and refreshing drink. 2997. Claret or Burgundy Cup 1 bottle claret. 2 bottles soda or seltzer water. Loaf sugar to taste. A sprig of borage or verbena. Rind of 1 lemon. 1 inch cucumber. 1 glass brandy or liqueur, or 1 gill sherry. Ice.