FoodNetArchive

The hearthstone; or, Life at home

1883

Page 322 · 5 recipe records on this page

Presented as published in 1883. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
Lemon Syrup. — Two pounds of loaf-sugar, two pints of water, one ounce of citric acid, one-half drachm of essence of lemonLemon Syrup. Boil the sugar and water together for one-quarter hour, and put it into a basin, where let it remain till cold. Beat the citric acid to a powder, mix the essence of lemon with it, then add these two ingredients to the syrup ; mix well and bottle for use. Two tablespoonfuls of the syrup are sufficient for a tumbler of cold water, and will be found a very refreshing summer drink. For a Summer Draught. — The juice of one lemon, a tumblerful of cold water, pounded sugar to taste, one-half teaspoonful of car- bonate of soda. Squeeze the juice from the lemon ; strain and add it to the water, with sufficient pounded sugar to sweeten the whole nicely. When well mixed, put in the soda ; stir well, and drink while the mixture is in an effervescing state. Currant Wine. — To one gallon and a quart of juice add two gal- Ions of water and thirteen pounds of brown sugarCurrant Wine. Mash and strain the currants through a sifter, and after mixing the preparations, put it in a vessel that is not too close for ten days, and then close it tightly until fall. After that time it can be drawn off and bottled. Recipe for Making Blackberry Wine. — To one gallon of ripe blackberries add one gallon of boiling water ; let it remain twenty- four hours ; then strain without pressure, and to every gallon of juice add two and a-half pounds of loaf-sugar. Put in a demijohn, with a thin muslin cloth tied over the mouth ; let it stand in a cool place for two months, then strain through flannel ; add one ounce of sugarBlackberry Wine to each gallon to clear it. Then bottle, and in three weeks it is ready for use. Elderberry Wine. — Take one quart of pure elderberry juice, two quarts water, three pounds sugarElderberry Wine (the best sugar for this purpose is what we call molasses- sugar, viz. : sugar that settles from molasses 500 THE hearthstone; or, life at home. into the bottom of hogsheads) ; mix all together, and let it /erment until it works itself clear ; strain and bottle ; leave the bottles un- corked until it is done working, then cork and put away in a cellar, and in a few months you will have good wine, but age will improve it. PRESERVES, CANNED FRUITS, Etc. To Preserve Fruit. — Fruit may be preserved with honey by putting the fruit first in the can, then pour the honey over it, and seal air-tight. When the honey is poured from the fruit it will have the flavor and appearance of jell\', making a rich dessert. To Preserve Pears. — Take small, rich, fair fruit, as soon as the pips are black ; set it over the fire in a kettle, with water to cover them ; let them simmer until they yield to the pressure of the finger; then, with a skimmer, remove them to cold water ; pare them neatly, leaving on a little of the stem and the blossom end. Pierce them at the blossom end to the core; then make a syrup of a pound of sugar for each pound of fruitTo Preserve Pears ; when it is boiling hot pour it over the pears, and let it stand until the next day. Then drain it off, making it boil- ing hot, and again pour it over. After a day or two put the fruit in the syrup over the fire, and boil gently until it is clear; put it in the jars or spread it on dishes ; boil the syrup thick, then put it and the fruit in jars.