SUMMER DRINKS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8832, 19 January 1907, Page 3

SUMMER DRINKS.

—gmocoadie. — Required : Two lemon*, one pint of boiling water. 2oz of loaf sugar. Pare the lemons very thinly, aad put the peel in a jug; next take off every acrap of pith from the lemons, otherwise the lemonade will have a bitter flavour. Slice the lemons thinly, and after taking out all the pips, put the slices in the jug, add the sugar, and then pour on the boiling water. Cover the jug and let ih stand until the lemonade is cold. Then strain it into a clean jug, pressing the slices well. If possible add a few lumps of ice, and a slice or two of lemon to it before serving it. Where it is, difficult to procure fresh lemons, lemonade may be made rrom essence of lemon and citric acid. It is excellent, though, of course, not as nice as fresh, or " natural lemonade," as it ia 'called in the north. Care, however, must be taken to purchase essence of lemon of a good* reliable maker, as otherwise it will have a disagreeable flavour. The following variety will keep for months : — Lemonade (No. 2). — Required: Two quarts of boiling water, 21b of loaf sugar, loz of citric acid, half a, teaspoonful of essence of lemon. Put the sugar into a large basin, Pour the boiling water on to it. When the liquid is nearly cold, stir in the lemon essence and the oitric . acid, and leave it. until it is quite cold, then bottle it. A wineglaasful to a tumbler of cold water makes a refreshing drink; a few small pieces of ioe, are, of course, an improvement. Clear Barley Water.— Though usually associated with the sick room, barley water is an excellent summer drink, and is offered in ?[uite the smartest houses. It contains a arge amount of nutrimeat, while at the same time it is refreshing. It would be well if it were oftener given to children in the place of water or milk which, when, cold, is somewhat heavy and hardly refreshing. Required: — _oz of pearl barley, cold water, one lemon, a pint of boiling water, three or more lumps of sugar. Put the barley in a saucepan, cover it with cold water, let it come to the boil, then boil it for five minutes. Then strain out the barley, throwing away the water. Put the barley mr a jug with the thinly pared rind of the lemon _na the sugar, pour over the boiling water, oover' the jug, and leave it until cold; then strain off the barley water and serve it. If it is liked very strongly flavoured with lemon,' add some of the juice of the lemon to it. > Cider Cup. — Required': On© quart of cider, two bottles of soda water, one bottle of lemonade, JLoz of castor sugar, two inches of cinnamon, a sprig of mint. Cut the cucumber into slices without peeling it. Put it in a jug with the sugar, cider and mint. Let it stand on ice if possible for two hours. Then add the lemonade *nd soda water, and if possible a few pieces of ice, removing the mint. Currant Water.— This, perhaps, is a little more trouble than the foregoing recipes, but I recommend it strongly. Required: lib of ripe red currants. Jib of lump sugar, ilb of castor BUgar, three pints, of water. Stalk and pick over the currants, then mash them with a wooden spoon, adding as you do so half a pint of water. Next put the fruit into a preserving pan with the castor sugar. Stir it over the fire until it begins to simmer, then pass it through a hair sieve. Put the lump sugar into _ pan with three gills of boiling water, let the sugar dissolve, then boil it to a syrup; pour this on to the fruit juice, adding lj pint more water. Serve cold. dinger Beer. — This is an excellent variety of ginger beer, and not much trouble or expense. Required: Two lemons, loz of ginger, loz of cream of tartar, Blb of loaf sugar, 3 gallons of boiling water, two large tablespoonrais of brewer's yeast, or 2oz of compressed yeast. Put the thinly pared rinds and juice of the lemons in a large earthenware pan with the ginger, which should be first slightly bruised, the cream of tartar, and loaf sugar. Pour on to these the boiling water, then add the yeast— if compressed yeast is used, it must be mixed until it becomes liquid with two tablespoonfuls of castor sugar.. Stir all well together, cover the pan, and let the beer stand in a warm place until next day. Then skim off the yeast carefully, pour the beer into clear bottles, taking care to leave the sediment behind. Cork the .bottles tightly, and in four days the beer will be ready for nse.