MAKING LONG, COOL DRINKS

New Zealand Listener, Volume 22, Issue 547, 16 December 1949, Page 22

MAKING LONG, COOL DRINKS

ANY requests have come to me for recipes for inexpensive, home-made, cooling drinks; so here are some. There is a big demand for fruit punch, which can be made by combining various fruit juices now obtainable in tins-pineapple, orange, and so on. Often the basis of fruit punch is cold weak ‘tea, which gives a special flavour and colour, and which is safe because the water has been boiled. The punch can be kept in a refrigerator (or coolest place available) till needed, when ginger ale or soda water is added to give the required "pep."’ Slices of strawberries or orange floating on top of the punch give a pretty touch, and ice is, of course, the ideal finish, Remember ice dilutes the punch, so\ make its flavour stronger to allow for this. There is now a limejuice cordial on the market, which is delicious and thirst-quenching by itself, as well as in fruit punch. Lemon barley water is another. good summer drink. Fruit Punch First make a syrup by boiling 1 quart water with 2 or 3 Ib. sugar. Then make 2 quarts tea using 5 tablespoons tea. When both syrup and tea are cold add 1 quart each of lemon juice, orange juice, pineapple juice and grape juice, which can all be bought in tins or bottles. If you have to omit one of the juices, the result will still be good; but try to get ‘them all. Just before serving add several bottles dry ginger ale or soda water, to give sparkle. Float slices of strawberry and orange on top of the bowl, and serve with ice. Minted Fruit Punch Four cups hot strong tea poured over 6 tablespoons finely chopped mint. To this add 114 cups lemon juice, 242 cups orange juice, 1 cup grapefruit juice, 1% cup lime juice, 2 teaspoon salt, rind of 3 cucumbers cut in long strips, and 2 cups sugar syrup made by boiling 4 cups water with 2 cups sugar. The fruit juices may all be bought. Let all stand till cold, then strain and chill. Just before serving add 7 cups grape juice, 6 cups dry ginger ale, and 3 cups\soda water. Serve with ice, and garnish with orange and lemon slices. Ginger Wine Cordial This is an old English recipe. Buy from the chemist 2 drachms each of essence of ginger, essence of capsicum and burnt sugar. Pour 6 pints boiling water over 114 Ib. sugar and 1 oz. tartaric acid. Stir well till dissolved. When cool, add the other ingredients. Bottle. Currant Wine Twelve to 16 Ib. ripe currants (black, red, or white), 8 lb. sugar, 2 oz. cream of tartar, 2 gallons water, 1 egg white. Pick and crush fruit, add half the water. Cover tightly and set in cool place 2-3 days. Draw off liquid, straining and pressing out as much as possible from the fruit, and add to it the sugar, which has been previously made into a clear syrup with the remaining gallon of water, and also add the cream of tartar. Cover again and allow to ferment 4 or 5 days, stirring from time to time.

When first fermentation is over, transfer to,a jar that will just hold it. Do not cork, but lay a bung lightly across the top. As the wine works over, keep filling up with strainings from the mash. Let the slow or second fermentation continue as long as it will, and when it ceases, stir in the well-beaten white of an egg (in place of isinglass), cork down and allow to clarify for a fortnight, then bottle. Cold Water Ginger Beer Two gallons cold water, 1 teaspoon citric acid, 1 teaspoon cream of tartar, 2 dessertspoons ground ginger, 1 teaspoon essence of lemon, 2 lb. sugar, 4% cake compressed yeast. Leave 24 hours, strain and bottle. Or try this one without yeast: 20 cups water, 3 cups sugar, 3 teaspoons cream of tartar, 3 teaspoons essence of lemon, 3 teaspoons ground ginger (tied in a piece of muslin), 3 teaspoons tartaric acid. Stir all well; bottle for use. Plum Wine At least 8 Ib. very ripe plums (may use up to 12 lb.). Put into a barrel or crock, not a tin vessel, with 1 gallon hot water. Stir and mash often 6-8 days, while fermentation is active. Then strain through muslin bag, a little at a time to get all liquid out. Measure, and add 342 lb. sugar per gallon of liquid. Let work for 3 weeks, stirring several times a day for first week. At end of third week strain again, without disturbing sediment. Leave in keg, bunged tightly, 3-6 months. If bottling, be sure wine is worked out thoroughly before corking, as wine matures through the wood whereas if corked tightly in bottles it would be heady when opened. Honey Mead To every gallon of water put 3 Ib. honey and a piece of root ginger. Boil 1 hour. Skim, then put in % oz. hops to every gallon of water. Boil another 42 hour. When nearly cold, put in % pint yeast to 10 gallons. Cork lightly as soon as pressure will allow, and tighten later. Boston Cream Three pounds sugar, 342 quarts water, &% Ib. tartaric acid, 1 tablespoon essence of lemon, whites of 3 eggs. Boil sugar and water, add tartaric acid and essence of lemon. When cool, stir in stiffly beaten whites of eggs. One tablespoonful in tumbler of cold water, a good pinch of baking soda, then well stirred, makes a good summer drink. Hop Beer Ten gallons water, 1 Ib. best quality hops. Boil these 1 hour. Add 8 lb. sugar and boil another hour, Then add 5 Ib. malt extract. Stir till thoroughly dissolved, and transfer to cask. When at blood heat add 44 pint baker’s yeast or 14 cake compressed yeast. Leave several days, skimming every morning: When finished working (6-7 days) add 1 packet isinglass thoroughly dissolved in boiling water, and then cooled, or use 1 bottle brewer’s finings (instructions on bottle) to clear the beer. Then. stir slightly. Leave about 24 hours, "Then bottle, adding 1/2 saltspoon sugar to each large bottle. Ready in 1 week, but better:if kept longer.