La cuisine creole

BLACKBEERY CORDIAL. Simmer nice ripe blackberries in water enough to cover them, and when they are tender take them out, mash them and strain them through a strong cloth ; get all the juice out you can by squeezing, but do not let the pulp and seed come through the bag. Now add a little of the water they were boiled in, however not more than two tablespoonfuls to each pint of strained juice. To every pint of this liquor, add one pound of loaf sugar, one teaspoonful of mace, same of cloves and cinnamon. Boil all these together a few minutes, and strain it again to free it from the spice. When this Syrup is cool, add to each pint a wineglassful of good French brandy. If you cannot get brandy, substitute rum or whiskey, remembering to use twice as much as you would brandy. This is excellent for children during the prevalence of summer complaints and an excellent tonic for all debilitated persons. BLACKBERRY CORDIAL. Select fine, ripe fruit. Squeeze the berries without boiling, and to a quart of the strained juice, put a pound of loaf sugar ; boil it for half an hour, and add a quart of brandy, some cloves and cinnamon, when on the fire. If the fruit thickens too rapidly while boiling, throw in a cup of hot water. RASPBERRY CORDIAL. Squeeze the fruit through a flannel bag, and to every quart of juice add a pound of Ioaf sugar; put it in a stone jar and stir it constantly for half an hour ; allow it to stand for three days, then strain it again and add to each quart of juice a quart of fine brandy. \ LA CUISINE CREOLE. 227 TOMATO WINE. Let the tomatoes be very ripe; mash them well, let them stand twenty-four hours, strain, and to evcry quart of the tomato juice, add a pound of white sugar. This will ferment and should be allowed to do so, only keep it carefully covered from the flies. Skim off the foam as it rises, and when the liquor becomes elear, bottle it. This wine will be a pleasant acid, and shoulo be served with sugar and water, in the tumbler with the wine. ANOTHER TOMATO WINE. Bruise your berries, or small tomatoes; measure the juice, and add two pounds of sugar to each gallon ; put it in a cask, adding two gallons of water to each four gallons of juice. Let it ferment like blackberry wine. A FINE TEMPERANCE BEVERAGE. To the juice of a dozen lemons put one pound and a half of double refined sugar, and a picked quart of raspberries or strawberries ; pare a ripe pineapple and slice it, put over it half a pound of sugar, stir the lemon juice with the sugar, crush in the berrîes slightly bruise the pineapple and chop it up in small pieces. Put the lemon juice in a large punch bowl, add to it three quarts of ice water, then put in the strawberry and pineapple juice, stir it until ail the sugar is dissolved, and then set it on ice. Serve in punch glasses. CHAMPAGNE PUNCH. Add to the above mixture a bottle of Champagne, and a bottle of white wine, and you have a very delicious punch for festive occasions. DELICATE PREPARATIONS FOR THE SICK AND CONVALESCENT. BARLEY WATER. Take four large tablespoonfuls of picked and washed pearl barley, and put it into a porcelain-lined kettle wîth two quarts of boiling water ; let ît boil slowly until the water is reduced one half, then strain it and season wîth salt, lemon, or sugar as may be agreeable to the sick. TOAST WATER. Cut two or three slices from a loaf of wheat bread, toast them very brown; while hot, put them in a small pitcher, and pour over them a pint and a half of water. Sugar may be added if liked, but when the stomach is affected ît îs better wîthout ît. TO MAKB WATER GRUEL OF CORN MBAL OR OAT MEAL.