The American Pictorial Home Book
or Housekeeper's Encyclopedia - online book

A reference manual of household management in Victorian times.

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488                                     VINEGARS.
so much water, will consequently be more acid than before, and the vinegar may thus be frozen again and again, until it becomes of the desired strength.
Dr. Nib's Vinegar.—Add to each gallon of syrup composed of i 1-2 pounds of sugar to i gallon of water, i gill of yeast. Keep in a warm place 3 or 4 days, then draw in refining casks ; allow to each gallon 1 ounce of cream of tartar. When the sweet taste dis­appears draw off and bottle tightly.
Lemon Vinegar.—Allow 5 quarts of vinegar to 3 dozen large lemons, 5 ounces of garlic, a teacupful of horseradish, 1 spoonful heaped of mace, 1 dessert spoonful of cloves, 1-2 tablespoonful ot pounded red pepper, 1 large coffee-cupful of white mustard beaten in a mortar, or the whole seeds; then with a piece of glass or grater rasp off the rinds of the lemons, then nearly cut the lemons in two with a sharp knife, then press the salt into them with your fingers, then lay them on a pewter dish and cake the salt over them, then set them in a luke-warm oven, taking them out several times until the moisture is dried up into the peels and the fruit hard, but not scorched ; then add the garlic peeled and the horseradish cut small and thin, and let them remain in the above till all the juice is dried up. As soon as the salt is melted add more, and press it in; then into a porcelain or copper kettle pour the vinegar with the pounded spices and the nutmegs, a large spoonful heaped, cut in small pieces, add the beaten mustard and pepper in muslin bags. When these have boiled together in the vinegar sufficiently, pour vinegar and all the ingredients boiling hot over the lemons, cover the vessel perfectly close, shake it well every day, and let it remain by the stove or fire for a full week; then keeping as close as possible, let it stand for several months to take off the bitter, then bottle it; but before doing so, it must be strained through muslin or paper pulp two or three times. When freed from sediment entirely, add 31-2 pints of vinegar boiling hot to the remaining ingredients. When it becomes a month or two old it is nice for hash, fricasses, &c. It is nice to eat with fish, fowl, game or any fresh meat.
Honey Vinegar.—Put 1 quart of clear honey in 2 gallons of soft or filtered water; let it stand for 20 days in a warm place, and the vinegar will be good.
Cayenne Vinegar.—Put 1-2 pint of spirits or 1 pint of cider vinegar into a bottle with 1-2 ounce of cayenne pepper, and let it steep for a month; then strain off and bottle for use. Used sparingly, it is excellent seasoning for soups, sauces and cold meats.
Chili Vinegar—Pound or halve 50 red California Chilies and infuse them in a pint of strong cider vinegar for a fortnight.