SUMMER DRINKS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18577, 8 December 1923, Page 6 (Supplement)

SUMMER DRINKS.

.With the near approach "of the holiday season and every prospect of a hot and early summer, it is advisable to lay in a good supply -of refreshing summer beverage.; which will bottle and keep welL The following can all be recommended. Lemon Cordial.— cordial makes another pleasant drink. Dissolve a pound and a half of lump sugar and announce of tartaric acid in a quart of boiling water, and when cold add twenty drops of essence of Jemon. Bottle and, cork. v '[When wanted for use, add about a wineglassful to a tumbler of water. Fruit Drinks;— simple and delicious fruit drinks may be mad© by stewing half a pound of red jam?— current, damson, raspberry, etc., a pint of water for half an' hour, str-ainiup, and putting on ice. A little lemon-juice may be added if « liked. Treacle Beer.—For treacle beer, soak an ounce ,of crushed ginger for twentyfour hours in a quart of water, boil it with a gallon of water, half a pound of treacle, half a pguifd of sugar, and an ounce of cream of tartar, for half an hour. Pour , into an earthenware basin, cover, and stand aside till lukewarm, when two .tablespoonfuls of yeast should be added. Next day strain and bottle. Strawberry • Vinegar.Put four pounds of strawberries into, three quarts of vinegar and steep then; three days, mashing and turning them frequently. Strain, and then add to the liquid four pound more of fresh strawberries. Again steep for three days, strain and add three pound more of fresh fruit. Steep two days, strain, and to every pint of juice add one pound of brewer's Ijigar or of pounded loaf sugar. When the latter is dissolved set the liquor on the fire in an enamelled preserving pan and when it boils, remove the scum as it rises. Boil fast for five j minutes, only; leave to cool till next day, then bottle, adding a wineglassful of 1 whisky or brandy to ensure its keeping. Cork, seal and set the bottles sideways on a shelf. If the strawberries are cheap and plentiful, the whole eleven pound of fruit may be put all together into three quarts of vinegar, and left to steev for four days, afterwards treating as already described. Lemonade.Lemonade that will kfeep is' made by putting the juice, and thinly peeled rind of three lemons with l£lb. of sugar, and loz. tartaric acid into a jug, and pouring over the whole one pint of boiling water. Stif occasionally until cold, then bottle. * A tablespoonful of this in a tumblerful of water makes a refreshing drink. ' Hop Beer.—Take 4or. hops, two large cups treacle, 31b. brown sugar, two tablespoons ginger, two and a half gallons of water, one cup of brewer's yeast. Mix all but th© yeast, and boil for an hour. Pour into a wooden tub or jar, and let it cool a little. When about lukewarm add the . cup of yeast, and stir it well. Let it stand for two and a half days, skimming off the froth; strain and bottle, or fut into a barrel and bung up tightly, t will be ready for use in a weak. . Boston Cream.— four and a half pints of water, three whites of eggs, 20z.. tartaric or citric acid, 21b. sugar, juice of two lemons or two teaspoonfuls of essence of lemon. ' Boil the water and sugar for two minutes, and stir in the acid. When nearly cold, add essence of lemon, and stir in the beaten whites* Beat ; up, bottle, and cork well. Take two or three tablespoonfuls to. a timber of water, with about half a teaspoonful of baking soda. Giager Beer.—Take l£lb. sugar, l£oz. ground ginger, 2oz. cream of tartar, the rind -and juice of two lemons. - -Pour two gallons of boiling water over all, and | when it has cooled down to blood heat set it to work with £oz. yeast spread on toast. Cover over until next morning, when pour off, clear from sediment, and bottle. Beady in four days. Lemon Ginger.Take one teaspoonfol essence of lemon, 12 ,teaspoonfnle essence of ginger, loz.' citric acid, 31b. sugar, and three quarts boiling water. Dissolve the sugar and'acid in the hot water, adding the essence when cooler, and bottling at onoe. If more ' "nip" is required. than is given by the ginger, and if tincture of ( cayenne is • available, two teaspoonfuls of:; the same is considered by some to be an improvement. Raspberry Syrup.—-Choose ripe, juicy raspberries, remove the stalks, bruise the fruit ; well and leave in a cool place for 24 hours. Cover with muslin to exclude dust. Strain all the juice from the fruit through a fine hair sieve or muslin,' measure, and* to ' each pint allow half a pound of loaf sugar. Put juice and syrup into a pan, bring to the ■ boil then simmer for half an hour. .Remove ail scum as it rises. Let it become cold, then put . into small, dry bottle and cork securely. , Ginger Wine.—Ginger wine intended for Christmas should be made now. The following recipe is quite simple and very little trouble. 3oz. of bruised unbleached ringer/' the rinds of 6 oranges ana 6 lemons, 301b. of sugar and 12 gallons of water. Boil these ingredients together for 3 hour. Skim, well and pour into a trb or earthenware vessel. When lukewarm add 81b. of finely chopped raisins, the juice of the oranges and * lemons, and 5 taolespoonsfuls of yeast. Stir every day for two weeks. Put into a barrel with lot. of isinglass, or gelatine of good quality, add 1 quart of gin, or brandy if and store away. By Christmas the wine will be ready for bottling.