Recently Champagne has been introduced into this
country from the provinces of the Rhine, and the Germans
may be congratulated upon their production of such
vintages as Neckar, Meissner, and Naumburg. A small
quantity reaches us also from the United States, but
the sea voyage is against the probable importation from
Australia or other distant lands.
The notion that cheap Champagnes are made in
this country from gooseberries (see British Wines)
is a popular delusion, and one that is unworthy of the
slightest credence, for the simple reason that, although
excellent Champagne can be made from this fruit, the
juice of the gooseberry would, from its scantiness and
scarcity, be considerably more expensive than the juice
of the grape ; and there are no plantations in this or
any other country which are of sufficient extent to
provide the enormous quantity that would be required
for the purpose. Factitious Champagnes are sometimes
met with concocted from light Rhenish, cider, and other
cheap liquors, but happily in most cases these prepara-
tions are quite harmless, and often quite as palatable as
some Champagne, and are excellent imitations of the
genuine thing in taste, appearance, and bouquet.
Iced Champagne. — Cover the bottom of a pail, up to three-
fourths of its height, with a layer of pounded and salted iee,
put the bottles of Champagne in, and let them remain for
forty minutes. To 41b. of ice use lib. of crushed kitchen salt✪ Iced Champagne.
If the iced wine is meant to be placed on the table, the
bottles should be placed in small ornamental pails (see
Fig. 399) set on a tray, and in this case the neck of the
bottles must be clothed with a leather case, to protect the
hands of those who uncork the bottle.
Mock Champagne. — Use grapes which have been picked
when full grown and just beginning to change colour; bruise
them in a tub, and for every quart of grapes pour in lqt. of
water. Leave the fruit for three days, stirring it once a day ;
then press it through a cloth, and let the juice stand for
four or live hours. Pour the liquor carefully from any sedi-
ment, for every gallon mixing with it 31b. of loaf sugar, and
turn it into a barrel, fixing the bung in lightly. Leave it
for three weeks, or till it has ceased working, and at the end
For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, dec., referred to, see under their special heads
332
THE ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF PRACTICAL COOKERY.
Champagne — continued.
of that time mix in some isinglass that has been dissolved in
some of the liquor, using \oz. for every 5galls. of the wine✪ Mock Champagne.
Leave it for three days, stirring it once a day, and on the
last day stir in some brandy, using' lqt. for every ' 5galls. of
the wine. In three or four days bung it down closely, and
leave it for six months. Draw off the wine, bottle and cork
it, wire or tie down the corks tightly, and keep in a cool,
dry cellar.
Fig. 399. Iced Champagne.
Page 221 · 2 recipe records on this page
Presented as published in 1890. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
Recently Champagne has been introduced into this country from the provinces of the Rhine, and the Germans may be congratulated upon their production of such vintages as Neckar, Meissner, and Naumburg. A small quantity reaches us also from the United States, but the sea voyage is against the probable importation from Australia or other distant lands.
The notion that cheap Champagnes are made in this country from gooseberries (see British Wines) is a popular delusion, and one that is unworthy of the slightest credence, for the simple reason that, although excellent Champagne can be made from this fruit, the juice of the gooseberry would, from its scantiness and scarcity, be considerably more expensive than the juice of the grape ; and there are no plantations in this or any other country which are of sufficient extent to provide the enormous quantity that would be required for the purpose. Factitious Champagnes are sometimes met with concocted from light Rhenish, cider, and other cheap liquors, but happily in most cases these preparations are quite harmless, and often quite as palatable as some Champagne, and are excellent imitations of the genuine thing in taste, appearance, and bouquet.
Iced Champagne. — Cover the bottom of a pail, up to threefourths of its height, with a layer of pounded and salted iee, put the bottles of Champagne in, and let them remain for forty minutes. To 41b. of ice use lib. of crushed kitchen salt. If the iced wine is meant to be placed on the table, the bottles should be placed in small ornamental pails (see Fig. 399) set on a tray, and in this case the neck of the bottles must be clothed with a leather case, to protect the hands of those who uncork the bottle.
Mock Champagne. — Use grapes which have been picked when full grown and just beginning to change colour; bruise them in a tub, and for every quart of grapes pour in lqt. of water. Leave the fruit for three days, stirring it once a day ; then press it through a cloth, and let the juice stand for four or live hours. Pour the liquor carefully from any sediment, for every gallon mixing with it 31b. of loaf sugar, and turn it into a barrel, fixing the bung in lightly. Leave it for three weeks, or till it has ceased working, and at the end
For details respecting Culinary Processes, Utensils, Sauces, dec., referred to, see under their special heads
Champagne — continued.
of that time mix in some isinglass that has been dissolved in some of the liquor, using \oz. for every 5galls. of the wine. Leave it for three days, stirring it once a day, and on the last day stir in some brandy, using' lqt. for every ' 5galls. of the wine. In three or four days bung it down closely, and leave it for six months. Draw off the wine, bottle and cork it, wire or tie down the corks tightly, and keep in a cool, dry cellar.
Fig. 399. Iced Champagne.
Records on this page
Iced ChampagneMock Champagne