FoodNet

The spirit of cookery

1895

Page 388 · 3 recipe records on this page

Presented as published in 1895. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
Champagnes have now become so coarse that even most of the higher priced ones are no longer worthy of the patronage of the connoisseur, but participate in the qualities of remedes conlre V amour. Most of them are brandied up to 12 per cent, of absolute alcohol. There are many fables of dishes cooked with champagne, the most ridiculous being Vuillemot’s faisan Lucullus, and some fish termed d la Genevoise; we have considered these eccentricities in former chapters. Even vegetables are reported to be cooked with this wine — e.g., Choucroule (sauerkraut) d la Champagne ; but they are in reality not so prepared. Stewed carefully with butter and standard broth, the sauerkraut receives just before it is dished an addition of a little high-flavoured wine, which imparts to it a fine ethereal flavour. On the bills of fare it figures as d la Champagne, which has not been near it. For the dinner-table champagne should be cooled, but never iced. The ice-pail, like the red wine basket ipanier), is a means for smuggling low-class wine into the stomachs of credulous people in exchange for the price of good ones. For certain culinary purposes — e.g., the production of custard icine sauces — old hock is the best material ; but for 6i6 THE SIT/HT OF COOKERY court bouillon and similar preparations low-priced French wines have to bo used. All white and red Frencli and German wines are fit for the production of Woodruff CuiJ (made with Asperula odorata). Of some qualities of wine so-called Peach or Pineapple Bowl can be made ; the liquid may be drunk, the fruit eaten with a teaspoon. Imperial or other snwcl tokay is not a wine, but a sweet, made of raisins, and either entirely or almost unfermented ; consequently, like Bota Tent (Tintilla de Eota), which is made in the same manner, it contains only a small per- centage of spirit, and may contain none. If it contains above 4 per cent, it is certainly adulterated. Marsala is very useful for cooking purposes, except those cases in which high flavour is required ; of extractive it will furnish a sufficient quantity. As regards cider or apiple wine, a revival has taken place of late years, and much excellent apple wine and perry is produced in Herefordshire and other counties. In Brittany and Germany also much cider is made and used. It is mixed in cii,ps {e.g., with woodruff) as well as drunk at table. In hot seasons sparkling cider is a very agreeable and wholesome beverage. Beer is used for the production of some kinds of soup, hot sp>iced drinks, and cooling beverages, such as shandy- gaff, a mixture of hops and malt beer with ginger-beer. The stronger and more hopped qualities are not used in cookery, but the varieties of medium strength are recom- mended in some recipes — e.g., for boiling certain joints in. Practically, we believe, these recipes are very rarely carried out. Flip, or Ale Flip, is warmed ale to which sugar, cognac or rum, and ginger and nutmeg, have been added; this is beaten up with some stirred or frothed eggsFlip (Ale Flip), half the whites omitted, and well mixed. Tliis preparation is in parts known as one yard of flannel. CUPS; SPIRITS 617 TFflssatZ Boiol is an ancient Christmas Eve regalement, and consists of hot ale with several spices poured over roast applesHot Ale with Spices (Boiol).