The household cook book

Noyau — This is made from white brandy and bruised bitter almonds. It contains a large proportion of prussic acid derived from the bitter almonds. The best comes from Martinique, but it is expensive and often imitated. Make thus: Infuse some fresh young peach leaves in whisky for a couple of days; then strain the infusion and mix with clarified syrup when cold. With age it will nearly equal the genuine. Ratafias. — This is the name given to spirituous liquors flavored with the kernels of various fruits, such as peaches, cherries, apricots, etc., used as flavoring for sweet dishes. Although delicious when used sparingly, they are unpleasant or even poisonous if used to excess. Peach or apricot leaves infused in alcohol can be used instead of ratafia for flavoring pudding. The ratafia cakes are flavored with almonds. Cherry Ratafia.— Take 1 lb. Morrella cherries with the kernels bruised, 1 pint proof spirits, 1/2 lb. sugar; let it soak 2 weeks, and strain through flannel. Currant Ratafia. — Take 3/4 cup black currant juice, 2 grains cinnamon, 2 grains cloves, 2 grains peach kernels, 1 pint brandy, 6 oz. white sugar; let stand 2 weeks, and strain through flannel. Rose Extract — Let rose leaves soak in alcohol till the essential oil is extracted (about a week); then strain, and add about 1/4 drachm of otto of roses to 1 pint of the extract. Tea Flavoring. — Take about 4 teaspoons of the best black tea, crush it and put it into a bowl (it is a good plan to mix 2 or 3 different kinds); pour on about 1/2 cup of freshly boiled water, and boiling hot; cover it with a saucer, and let it steep 10 or 12 minutes; then strain through cloth and use. Vanilla. — Cut up 5 or 6 vanilla beans, pods and all, put them in a pint bottle, fill with alcohol, and in a few days the alcohol will extract the essential oil. Equal parts of vanilla and tonka beans can be used, and a very good flavoring extract produced. The tonka beans should be soaked in warm water till the skin can be rubbed off, and then both should be cut in small pieces. Vanilla sugar is prepared by cutting up the pods, putting them in a mortar with 10 or 12 times as much sugar, and pounding fine; then pass it through a fine sieve, pound again if necessary, and keep in a bottle tightly corked. Or the beans can be cut up, put in a jar, covered with the sugar, and covered tightly. Use the sugar as needed, adding more as long as the beans flavor it. Syrup of vanilla is simple syrup flavored with essence of vanilla. The vanilla bean is the fruit of a plant (an orchid) indigenous to Mexico, Peru. Brazil, etc. The fruit is cyl- tonka bean. indrical in shape and is filled with small, black, oily seeds. Its odor is due to the presence of benzoic acid, and is so powerful that it is said to intoxicate those who climb the trees to gather it. Vanilla is not suitable for flavoring food for invalids because of its medicinal qualities. It is a gentle stimulant and promotes digestion. The Mexican beans are the best. The tonka beans are the seeds of the Dipterus otiorata, which is a native of Guiana. The odor comes from a volatile oil which they contain.