Mrs. Roundell's Practical cookery book

Lemonade. — For one quart of Lemonade allow six ripe lemons, or eight if they are not juicy. Rub the outside of two of the lemons thoroughly with lumps of sugar to get the “ zest,” or essential oil, of the rind. Pick out the pips of all the lemons, and squeeze out every drop of juice. Put the lumps of sugar and the lemon-juice into a jug, and pour nearly a quart of boiling water upon them. Cover the jug till the Lemonade is cold. More sugar may be added, but the Lemonade is generally sweet enough if four lumps of sugar have been used. Another way is to pare one lemon as thinly as possible, and to skin all the lemons, removing every particle of the white, which is very bitter. Take out the pips, slice the lemons, and put them and the one lemon paring into the jug, allowing two lumps of sugar to each lemon. Fill up with boiling water, let the Lemonade get cold, and strain it before serving. BEVERAGES Orangeade. — For one pint allow two oranges. Peel the rind from one as thinly as possible, slice both Oranges, removing the pips and all the white. Put them and the one rind in a jug with three lumps of sugar, and pour a pint of boiling water upon them. Let the Orangeade get cold, and strain it before serving. Toast and Water. — How often when paying a visit and wishing for Toast and Water at night, one is told that the cook does not know how to make it ! How often in hotels one is charged sixpence for a jug of lukewarm water, in -which a lump of sodden untoasted white bread is soaking ! Properly made Toast and Water is very refreshing and very nutritious. But it must be properly and carefully made, and it must also be freshly made, as it soon turns sour. Toast a thin slice of bread very slowly and patiently till it is extremely hard and brown, but not in the least black. Put it into a jug, and pour upon it one quart of freshly-drawn cold water. Cover the jug and let the Toast and Water stand for one hour. Take out the toast, and pour the Toast and Water into the jug it is to be served in. It does not generally need straining, but it must be served quite cold. Simple Claret Cup. — Extract the “ zest ” from the peel of a lemon by rubbing four lumps of sugar upon it. Pare another lemon as thinly as you can. Put the paring and the sugar into a large jug, and pour in a quart of claret. Mix all well together. Set the jug on ice for an hour. Just before serving add a pint of sparkling moselle, and two bottles of soda water. Put a few sprigs of balm into the jug. Borage is the correct herb to use, but the flavour is not always liked. The moselle is an immense improvement to Claret Cup. Brandy and curaçoa are often added, but they prevent the Cup from being refreshing. If they are added, the proportions for the above quantity are two gills of brandy and one of curaçoa, put in with a large piece of ice. Eskriek Park Cider Cup. — (Family Recipe.)— To make two quarts of Cup. First take the peel of a lemon, twelve lumps of sugar, and a little water. Boil to a syrup, so as to extract the flavour of the peel. Then put into a jug some sprigs of borage, some slices of cucumber and of lemon, and a little grated nutmeg. Add a pint of sherry, a bottle of cider, one glass of ale, and a bottle of soda water. Sweeten with the syrup according to your taste. MERTON COLLEGE CIDER CUP