Jane Hamilton's recipes

CORDIAL, RASPBERRY. Mix five ounces of Tartaric acid to two quarts of water, pour this on twelve pounds of raspberries and let it stand twenty-four hours; then press the fruit and strain the juice through a muslin cloth. To every pint of juice put one pound four ounces of loaf sugar. Bottle the juice and seal up the bottles. It is best to use this cordial the Summer it is made, although it will keep [illustration: page number 186] twelve months. Blackberry cordial may be made in the same manner. EGGNOG. Take one quart of rich milk, one dozen large hen eggs, one quarter of a pint of good Jamaica rum, and three-fourths of a pint of the best whiskey; sweeten to the taste with loaf sugar. Beat the yolks until they are as light as beating can make them, and add the sugar; pour on the rum and whiskey (mixed) very slowly, beating the eggs all the time, so they will be thoroughly cooked. Now stir in the milk and, last of all, stir in one pint of whipped cream. GINGER POP. One ounce of ginger, one pound of brown sugar, one lemon, and one tablespoonful of hot yeast to one gallon .of water. Break the ginger up fine, but not into a tartar; add it to the rind of the lemon and the sugar and pour the water, boiling hot, upon [illustration: page number 187] these ingredients. When cold add the yeast. Cover the jar and let it stand ten or twelve hours, then add the juice of the lemon and strain the whole. Bottle it, corking very tight, and tie the corks. Lay the bottles on one side in a tolerably warm place. The third or fourth day they will be fit for use; then put them on ice. Do not fill the bottles quite up to the neck. TEA. For making green tea take the purest of spring water and boil in the cleanest of kettles; the moment the water commences to boil take it off the fire and make the tea immediately. It should be made in china or fine earthenware vessels (it will not draw well in a metal pot), and set on a heater for ten minutes, not longer. If it is winter set the teapot by the fire. One teaspoon heaped as full as it can be taken up will make two cups (or two-thirds of a pint) of strong tea. [illustration: page number 188] For making black tea take the same quantity of tea to the same quantity of water. Take the water when it has just commenced boiling, pour it on the tea, and pour the whole into a saucepan lined with porcelain and let it boil ten minutes, with the saucepan covered. There is no rule for telling good tea; it must be tasted to find out the flavor. Good green tea is a dark amber color. WINE, BLACKBERRY. Gather good ripe blackberries or dewberries, mash and strain them; to every gallon of juice put one quart of water and four pounds of brown sugar. Let it stand thirtysix hours, stirring occasionally and skimming off the scum that rises. Then put it in a cask or demijohn, putting in the cork loosely, and let it stand until the first of November. Then pour it off and bottle it. Cork the bottles tightly and keep them in a dry cellar. WINE, CURRANT.