FoodNetArchive

The encyclopædia of practical cookery

1890

Page 369 · 1 recipe record 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.
Take 2qts. of lemon- or lime-juice, 4|oz. of prepared chalk, 27| fluid ounces of diluted sulphuric acid, and lqt. of distilled water. Heat the lemon-juice, then add the chalk (finely powdered) by degrees to it, and when all the chalk is in, set the pan by for the precipitated citrate of lime to subside. This will take some time; but when thoroughly settled, pour off the fluid from the precipitate, and then wash it several times with warm water. When the precipitate is as clean as possible, pour over it the diluted sulphuric acid mixed with distilled water, and boil the whole for a quarter-of-an- hour or a little longer in a glass, earthenware, or lead vessel . Then squeeze the liquor through a strong linen bag, and filter that which runs through. Evaporate the filtered liquor over a gentle heat, and then reduce to less than one-half of the original quantity ; set it aside in shallow dishes to crystallise. Citric Acid is used chiefly by confectioners, and aerated water and liqueur makers, for the purposes of simulating or intensifying fruit acids. To buy it in crystal is the safer plan, as it is easily adulterated, and some purchasers are much tempted by the offer of low prices. Citrocliloric and phospho-citric acids have been intro- duced to the aerated-water trade as being superior to Citric Acid, and much cheaper for lemonades and such- like drinks ; but the recommendation would appear to end at the price, for it is quite certain that natural lemon- juice contains no such compound as either. It is, there- fore, very improbable that the flavour would be superior to the original. Competent chemists have declared both of these compound acids to be harmless. Imitations of lemon- and lime-juices are made by dissolving Citric Acid in water flavoured with soluble essences of lemon or lime. CITRON. — The fruit (see Fig. 476) of the Citron-tree ( Citrus medico) is well-known in medicine, as it possesses extraordinary anti-scorbutic properties ; so, also, do the fruits of other kinds of the Citrus tribe, such as lemons limes, oranges, &c. In cookery the candied peel is chiefly used, and is prepared in the same manner as orange- or lemon-peel. Sometimes known as Cedrat. Citron Blanc-mang'e. — Blanch lib. of sweet almonds, put them into a good-sized mortar and pound them to a paste ; to this paste add by degrees 5 tumblerfuls of water, mixing with the pestle. When thoroughly mixed, strain it through a cloth, squeezing it well to get all the milk of almonds from the paste. Divide this milk of almonds into two equal parts. Grate the rind of a Citron on some lump sugar, and continue till 6oz. of sugar have been used, | then dissolve this sugar in one-half of the milk of almonds. Citron Blanc-mange