Trouts are now in good perfection in the South parts of our Country; that is, where the Weather has been favourable in the former Month; and then besides the common way of boiling them we may have them potted, which will make them as valuable as potted Charrs, which are a sort of Trout.



To pott Trouts. From Mrs. R. S. of Preston in Lancashire.

Scale and clean your Trouts very well, wash them in Vinegar, and slit them down the Back, after which put Pepper and Salt into the Incision, and on their Outsides, and let them lie upon a Dish three Hours; then lay them in an earthen glaz'd Pan, with pieces of Butter upon them, and put them in an Oven two Hours, if they are Trouts fourteen Inches long, or less in proportion, taking care to tie some Paper close over the Pan. When this is done, take away from them all the Liquor, and put them in a Pot, and as soon as they are quite cold, pour some clarified Butter upon them to cover them: These will eat as well as potted Charrs. Some will take out the Bone upon slitting the Back, and these have been often taken for Charrs; tho' I don't know above two Places where the Charrs are, one is a Pool where a River or Brook runs thro' in Lancashire, and the other is in a Pool at Naant, within four Miles of Caernarvon. But the Charr is of the Trout kind, and it must be a good judge in Fish to distinguish one from another; however, there is some small difference, which the Criticks in fishing take notice of.

Fish may also be kept in Pickle several Weeks, as the Jack and Trout especially are agreeable Varieties.

This time is a proper Season for making a pleasant and strong Wine of Malaga Raisins, which will keep good many Years, and among the best Judges of Wine is much admired; it is not unlike a strong Mountain Wine: at this time also the Raisins are very cheap.



To make Raisin Wine.

Take half a hundred weight of Malaga Raisins, pick them clean from the Stalks, and chop the Raisins small, then put them into a large Tub, and boil ten Gallons of River Water, or such Water as is soft, and pour it hot upon them; let this be stirr'd twice or thrice every Day for twelve Days successively, and then pour the Liquor into a Cask and make a Toast of Bread, and while it is hot, spread it on both sides with Yeast or Barm, and put it into the Vessel to the Wine, and it will make it ferment gently, which you may know by its making a hissing Noise; during the time of working, the Bung of the Vessel must be left open, and as soon as that is over, stop it up close. This will be fine and fit for Drinking in about four Months time; but if you make twice the quantity, it should stand five or six Months before you broach it: Observe that you set it in a good Cellar, such as I have mentioned in the Month of March, under the Article of Brewing.



To make Fronteniac Wine.

The foregoing Receipt must be followed in every particular, only when you put it into the Vessel, add to it some of the Syrup of the white Fronteniac Grape, which we may make in England, tho' the Season is not favourable enough to ripen that sort of Grape; for in a bad Year, when the white Fronteniac, or the Muscadella Grapes are hard and unripe, and without Flavour, yet if you bake them they will take the rich Flavour, which a good share of Sun would have given them. You may either bake the Fronteniac Grapes with Sugar, or boil them to make a Syrup of their Juice, about a Quart of which Syrup will be enough to put to five Quarts of the Raisin Wine. When these have work'd together, and stood a time, as directed in the foregoing Receipt, you will have a Fronteniac Wine of as rich a Flavour as the French sort, besides the Pleasure of knowing that all the Ingredients are wholesome.

This Month is the principal time for Asparagus, which every one knows how to prepare in the common way; but there are some particulars relating to the fitting them for the Table, which I had from a curious Gentleman at Antwerp, which I shall here set down.



To preserve Asparagus.

Cut away all the hard part of your Asparagus, and just boil them up with Butter and Salt, then fling them into cold Water, and presently take them out again and let them drain; when they are cold, put them in a Gallipot, large enough for them to lie without bending, putting to them some whole Cloves; some Salt, and as much Vinegar and Water, in equal quantities, as will cover them half an Inch; then take a single Linnen Cloth, and let it into the Pot upon the Water, and pour melted Butter over it, and keep them in a temperate Place: When you use them, lay them to steep in warm Water, and dress them as you would do fresh Asparagus. It is to be noted, that in Holland, and most places abroad, the Asparagus is always white, which is done according to a method that I have inserted in my other Works; the method of bringing them to Table the foreign way, is to serve them with melted Butter, Salt, Vinegar, and Nutmeg grated.

The Tops or Heads of Asparagus being broken in small pieces and boil'd, are used in Soups like green Pease.



Asparagus in Cream. From the same.

Break the Tops of your Asparagus in small Pieces, then blanch them a little in boiling Water, or parboil them, after which put them in a Stew-Pan or Frying-Pan with Butter or Hog's-Lard, and let them remain a little while over a brisk Fire, taking care that they are not too greasy, but well drain'd; then put them in a clean Stew-Pan with some Milk and Cream, a gentle Seasoning of Salt and Spice, with a small Bunch of sweet Herbs; and just when they are enough, add to them the Yolks of two or three Eggs beaten, with a little Cream to bind your Sauce.

The Greens, which are now fit for boiling, are Sprouts of Cabbages, and young Cabbage-Plants, which every one knows how to prepare. There is also Spinage, which is best stew'd without any Water, its own Juice being sufficient; and we have still plenty of Lupines, that is, the flowring Stalks of Turnips, which eat very agreeably; they should be gather'd about the length of Asparagus, when the Tops are knotted for flowering, and the strings in the outside of the Stalks stripp'd from them; then tie them in Bunches, as you do Asparagus, and put them in boiling Water with some Salt, and let them boil three or four Minutes, then lay them to drain, without pressing, and serve them to Table as you would do Asparagus. The same way is used in the management of Brocoli.

The middle of this Month the Cowslip is in Flower, or as some call it the Peigle; and now is the Season to make a most pleasant Wine of the Flowers. This Receipt is the best I have met with.



To make Peigle, or Cowslip Wine, From Mrs. E. B.

To three Gallons of Wine, put six Pounds of fine Sugar, boil these together half an hour, and as the Scum rises, take it off; then set the Liquor to cool, and when it is quite cold, take a Spoonful of the best Ale-Yeast, and beat it well with three Ounces of Syrup of Citron, or Syrup of Lemon; mix these very well together with the Liquor; and then put into it a Pound and three quarters of the yellow part of the Cowflip, or Peigle Flowers, which must be cut from the Stalks a little beforehand, but no other part must be used: let these infuse and work three days in an Earthen Vessel, cover'd with a Cloth; then strain them, and put your Liquor into a clean dry Cask, and let it stand to settle three Weeks or a Month before you bottle it.

* * * * *

MAY.

As this is the busy Month in the Dairy, I shall here insert the Remarks I have by me concerning the making of Cheeses; and in this Work it is first necessary to know how to manage the Rennet. The Rennet is made of the Calves Bag, which is taken as soon as the Calf is kill'd, and scour'd inside and outside with Salt, after having first discharg'd it of the Curd, which is always found in it; this Curd must likewise be well wash'd in a Cullender with Water, and the Hairs pick'd out of it till it becomes very white, then return the Curd again into the Bag, and add to it two good Handfuls of Salt, and shut the Mouth of the Bag close with a Skewer, then lay the Bag in an Earthen-Pan, and cover it close, and keep it in a dry place; this will remain fit for use twelve Months. When you would use it, boil a Quart of Water, after you have salted it, so as to bear an Egg, and letting it stand to be quite cold, pour it into the Bag, and prick the Bag full of very small Holes, and lay it in a clean Pan for use. While this Rennet is fresh, a Spoonful of the Liquor will turn or set about sixteen or twenty Gallons of Milk; but as it is longer kept, it grows weaker, and must be used in greater quantity: this Rennet will last good about a Month. This is the Essex and Hertfordshire way.

Another way of preparing of Rennet Bags, is to take the Calves Bag, and wash and scour it with Salt, and the Curd likewise, as directed above; and then salting it very well, hang it up in the Corner of a Kitchen Chimney, and dry it; and as soon as you want to use it, boil Water and Salt, as before, and fill the Bag with it, making small Holes in the Bag, as before directed, and keeping it in a clean Pan.

It is to be noted, that the Bag of the Calf, which is the part that receives the Milk, is so disposed, as to change the Milk into Curd, as soon as it is received into it; and the Curd, which is found in it, partaking of that quality of the Bag, which disposes it to harden the Milk; these are therefore to be preserv'd for the same use, when we employ common Milk to be made into Curd: but as the Calves Bag is warm, when it naturally receives the Milk from the Cow, and it then curdles in it; so, when we want to set or turn Milk, for Cheese or other use, we must have the Milk warm as one may guess the Body of the Calf was, and the Milk was likewise, when the Calf receiv'd it from the Cow. There is great danger if the Milk be too hot when the Rennet is put to it, for then it sets or turns to Curd very quick, and the Cheese will be hard; but it is good to let the Milk be of such a warmth as not to come too soon, as it is called in the Dairies, but to have it of such a warmth, as to let the Curd set easily, and come moderately, for the quicker the Curd comes, the harder it is, and the harder the Curd is, the harder is the Cheese. Again, we must have some regard to the Pasture where our Cows feed; those that feed in rank Grass have more watery parts in their Milk than those Cows which feed on short Grass: and sometimes, as I have observed before, in my other Works, the Cows feed upon Crow Garlick, or the Alliaria, or Sauce alone, or Jack in the Hedge, or Goose-grass, or Clivers, or Rennet Wort, and their Milk will either be ill tasted, or else turn or curd of itself, altho' the Cow has had a due time after Calving; and if the Goose-grass or Clivers happen to be the occasion of the turning of the Milk, then a less quantity of Rennet should be used: for the only use of Rennet is to fix the Milk, and turn it to Curd, and if already there is near an equivalent for Rennet in the Milk, by the Cow's eating such Herbs, then a little of it will do. But as I have observ'd above, where Cattle feed upon long rank Grass, the Milk is watery, and does not contain two thirds of the Cream, or Richness that there is in the same quantity of Milk from Cows fed upon short fine Grass: So that if one was to make Cheese, one would chuse the Milk of Cows that fed upon the purest fine Grass. Here the Milk would be rich, and if the Rennet is good and well proportion'd, the Cheese will be so too. It is to be observ'd likewise, that when Cows feed upon such Weeds as I have mention'd, I mean the Clivers, which turn their Milk, the Curd is always hard and scatter'd, and never comes into a Body, as the pure Milk will do that is set with Rennet, and consequently the Cheese will be hard. There is one thing likewise to be taken notice of, with regard to the Rennet, that as the Bag, of which it is made, happens to be good, so is the Rennet good in proportion. I mean the Bag is good when the Milk of the Cow, that suckled the Calf, is good; for the goodness of the Feed of the Cow does not only dispose the Body of the Calf to produce a gentleness or softness in the Acid, which promotes the curdling of the Milk, when it is received into the Body of the Calf, but makes the Rennet more tender to the setting of the Cheese-Curd, and so the Cheese will consequently be the better for it: And I judge that one reason why the Suffolk Cheese is so much noted for its hardness, is on account of the badness of the Rennet, tho' it is certain, that the worst Cheeses of that Country are made of Skim-Milk; however, the nature of the Milk is such, according to my Observation, that it makes very rich Butter, but the Cream rises on it so quickly, and so substantially, that it leaves no fatness or richness in the other part, which we call the Skim-Milk, but that remains little better than Water: so that 'tis no wonder in this case, and thro' the rank Feed of the Cows, that the Cheeses of those parts are not good. I think however the Cheese of Suffolk might be help'd in a good measure, if the Farmers there were to have their Rennet Bags from places where the Grass was short and fine; for I guess then, from the above reasoning, that the Curd would be of a more tender nature, or not of so binding a quality as it now is, and the Cheese consequently would be the better. But besides the goodness of the Milk and the Rennet, if a Cheese is over press'd, it will be hard and unpleasant; but it is to be remark'd, that all Cheeses that are hard press'd will keep longer than those that are gently press'd, and bear transporting thro' the hottest Climates, which the more tender-made Cheeses will not without corrupting, unless they are put into Oil. There is one thing which I may observe particularly, relating to the Rennet Bag; which is, that the Calf should suck it full about an hour before it is kill'd, that there may be more and fresher Curd in it; tho' in the killing of Calves it is a Rule to let the Calf fast some time before killing, which we are told contributes to the Whiteness of the Flesh. Again, it would be an advantage in the making of Cheese to have your Cattle all of one sort, and to feed all upon the same sort of Pasture; for when it happens to be otherwise, the Cheeses are apt to decay, from the different Tempers of the Milk; but let our Milk be what it will, be careful of the former Method prescribed, i.e. to break the Curd by gentle degrees, and as equally as possible every where: the little pains extraordinary will be paid in the goodness of the Cheese, for then it will not be full of Eyes or Hollows, and will sell the better.

But besides the way of preparing the Rennet, as I have here set down, it is practised to make an artificial Rennet, which will do very well for making of Cheese; and that is, to boil the Cliver, or as some call it Goose-grass, or others Rennet-Wort, in Water, and you may add some Tops of Sweet Bryar; about a Spoonful of which Decoction, or boiled Liquor, will turn a Pail-full of Milk, of about five Gallons, without any other help; but in the Preparation of this, as well as the other, for the Improvement of the Cheeses, in giving them rich Flavours, it is adviseable to insert, while we are boiling the Waters for them, either some of such Sweet Herbs as we like, or such Spices as we most covet the taste of. As for the famous Stilton Cheese, which I have already published the Receipt of, we are to make the Rennet strong of Mace, by boiling the Mace in the Salt and Water, for without that is done, the Cheese will not have the true Relish that the first famous Stilton Cheeses had; and without the People of Stilton keep up the antient way of making it, agreeable to the old Receipt, they must of necessity lose the Reputation they have gain'd by their Cheeses. I shall not pretend to affirm why the Cheeses now in that Town are not generally so good as they were formerly; but perhaps it is because some of the Cheese-Sellers there depend upon the reputation of the first Cheeses, and now buy Cheeses from other parts, where nothing of the true Receipt is known but the Figure. However, it would be injustice in me if I did not take notice, that the Master of the Blue-Bell Inn in Stilton provided me with one that was excellent in its way, and yearly furnishes as many Customers with them as give him timely Notice: But as these Cheeses require time in the Dairy, before they are fit for eating, and the Season of making them is in the Bloom of the Year, so it is necessary to speak for them betimes, to have them to one's mind. I shall not give the Receipt of it at this time, as it has already fallen into a good number of hands with my former Pieces, and has been thought good enough to have been copied from me, with many other Articles, and published by Mr. Lawrence. I shall proceed therefore to give the Receipts for making of some other kinds of Cheeses, which yet have not appear'd in the World, which I have collected from some of the best Dairies in England. The following is the famous Buckingham Cheese, which I had from Mr. Foord, a very curious Gentleman of that place.



To make Buckingham Cheese. From Mr. Foord of that Place.

Prepare a Cheese Vat or Cheese Mote of a square Figure, six Inches over, and nine Inches deep, full of small Holes for the convenience of letting out the Whey when the Curd is put into it: Then take the Night's Cream, and mix it with the Morning's Milk, and put the Rennet to it to cool. When the Curd is come, take it gently from the Whey, and fill the Cheese Vat with it, and lay a Board up on the Curd, and as that sinks, fill up the Cheese Vat with fresh Curds; this should be done once every Hour till Night. The next Day turn your Cheese upside down, and continue turning it every Night and Morning till it shrinks from the Vat or Cheese Mote, and is stiff enough to take out without breaking, and then lay it upon the Shelf to be turn'd, and shift it Night and Morning till 'tis dry for use. This Mr. Foord tells me is the best sort of Cheese he has met with in England.

The following I have experienced to be an extraordinary Cheese; in some places 'tis call'd the Golden Cheese, and in others the Marygold Cheese, which it is properly. The Juice of the Marygolds adds a very great richness to the Milk, and contributes almost as much to it as Cream would do. The following is the Receipt to make it.



To make Marygold Cheese.

Gather your Marygold Flowers in a dry Day, and pick the golden-colour'd Leaves from them, (these we call the Petals of the Flowers:) As soon as you have pick'd a sufficient quantity of these Leaves for your use, bruise them in a Mortar, or grind them, if you have Conveniency, and strain out the Juice; this Juice, when you put the Rennet to the Milk, must be put into the Milk, and stirr'd into it. The Milk must then be set, and as soon as the Curd is come, break it gently, and as equally as possible, and put it into the Cheese Vat, and press it with a gentle Weight, letting the bottom part of the Vat have such a number of Holes in it, as will let out the Whey easily, or else a Spout to carry off the Whey; but the Holes are much better than the Spout. This Cheese, which is made in a Cloth, must be used like other Cheeses made after that manner.

As for the making of Sage-Cheese, the following is the best way that I have met with, and therefore I think the Receipt may be useful to the Publick.



To make a plain Sage-Cheese.

Gather the young Tops of red Sage, and bruise them in a Mortar till you can press the Juice from them; then take Leaves of Spinach or Spinage, and bruise them likewise, and press out the Juice to mix with the Sage Juice; for the Sage Juice of it self is not of a pleasant green Colour, and the Spinach Juice is added to it to render it more bright to the Sight; it also serves to take off the bitterness of the Sage. When this Juice is prepared, put your Rennet to the Milk, and, at the same time, mix as much of your Sage and Spinach Juice with it, as will give the Milk the green Colour you desire. If you would have it strong of the Sage, you must have the greater share of Sage Juice; or weaker of the Sage, the greater share of Spinach Juice. When the Curd is come, break the Curd gently, and when it is all equally broken, put it into the Vat or Cheese Mote, and press it gently: remember that the equal and due breaking of the Curd will keep your Cheese from having Hollows or Eyes in it, and the gentle pressing of Cheese will make it eat tender and mellow. This, as well as the Marygold Cheese, must be salted, when it has been press'd about eight Hours.



To make Sage-Cheese in Figures.

Those that are willing to have figur'd Cheeses, such Cheeses as are partly green and partly otherwise, must take the following method. Provide two Cheese Vats of the same bigness, and set your Milk in two different Vessels; one part with plain Rennet only, and the other with Rennet and Sage Juice, as directed in the above Receipt; make these as you would do two distinct Cheeses, and put them into the Presses at the same time. When each of these Cheeses has been prest half an hour, take them out and cut some square Pieces, or long Slips, quite out of the plain Cheese, and lay them by upon a Plate; then cut as many Pieces out of the Sage Cheese, of the same Size and Figure of those that were cut out of the plain Cheese, and presently put the pieces of the Sage Cheese into the holes that were cut in the plain Cheese, and the pieces cutout of the plain Cheese into the holes of the Sage Cheese, contriving to make them fit exactly: for this use some have Tin Plate, made into Figures of several Shapes, with which they cut out the pieces of their Cheeses so exactly, that they fit without trouble. When this is done, return them to the Presses, and treat them like common Cheeses, so will you have one Cheese Sage, with white or plain Figures in it, and the other a white Cheese, with green Figures in it. In the making of these Cheeses you must particularly observe to break your Curd very equally, and press both your Cheeses as equally as possible before you cut out the Figures; for else when they come to be press'd for the last time, your Figures will press unequally and lose their Shapes. When these Cheeses are made, they must be frequently turn'd and shifted on the Shelf, and often rubb'd with a coarse Cloath. These Cheeses may be made about two Inches thick, for if they are thicker, it will be more difficult to make the Figures regular; these will be fit to eat in about eight Months.



To make Cheese in imitation of Cheshire Cheese.

When your Milk is set, and the Curd is come, it must not be broken with a Dish, as is usual in the making of other Cheeses, but drawn together by the Hands to one side of the Vessel, gently and regularly broken; for if it is roughly press'd, a great deal of the richness of the Milk will go into the Whey. As you thus gather your Curd, put it into the Vat or Cheese Mote till it is full, then press it and turn it often, salting it at several times. It is to be noted, that the Cheeses should be six or eight Inches thick, and will be fit to eat in a Year; they must be frequently turn'd and shifted upon the Shelf, and rubb'd often with a dry coarse Cloath, and at the Year's end may have a hole bored in the middle, so as to contain a quarter Pint of Sack, which must be pour'd into it, and then the hole stopp'd close with some of the same Cheese, and the Cheese set in a Wine Cellar for six Months to mellow; at the end of which time, the Sack will be all lost, and the hole will be in a manner clos'd up.



To make Cheese in imitation of those made in Gloucestershire.

These Cheeses are to be about two Inches thick, and the Vats or Cheese Motes must be provided accordingly; set your Milk as directed in the former Receipts, and breaking it as equally and tenderly as possible, put it in a Cloth into the Vat, and set it in the press for an Hour; then take it out of the Press, and cut it in small Pieces, as big as Nutmegs, into a Pan of scalding Water, taking them again soon out of the Water, and sprinkle them with Salt at your pleasure, and return them again to the Vat or Cheese Mote, and keep them in the Press till the next Morning, and after that turn them and wipe them often, till they come to be very dry; or else when you have let one of these Cheeses press about two Hours, salt it on the upper side, and turn it at Night, and salt the side that lies uppermost, to lie in the Press till Morning; but the first way of cutting and salting it is much the best. These Cheeses will be fit to cut when they have been made eight Months; it is to be observ'd, that if we salt them in the manner first mention'd, that is, by cutting the Cheese, such Cheeses will be smooth-coated.



To make Slip-Coat Cheese, which is the thin Summer Cheese, call'd in London Cream Cheese. From the Farm call'd the Vaises in Essex.

Take six Quarts of new Milk, and a Pint of Cream, put it together with a Spoonful of Rennet just warm, and let it stand till the Curd is come; then lay a Cloath in your Cheese Vat, and with a Skimming-Dish cut out the Curd, and lay it in the Vat till it is full, turning your Cheese-Cloath over it; and as the Curd settles, lay more on, till you have laid on all. When the Whey is drain'd out, turn the Cheese into a dry Cloath, and then lay a weight of a Pound upon it; at Night turn it into another dry Cloath, and the next Morning salt it a little, then make a Bed of Nettles or Ash-Leaves to lay it on, and cover it with the same, shifting them twice a day, till the Cheese is fit to eat, which will be in about ten days. This Cheese is approved to be the best of the kind in the whole Country, and may be made all the Summer.

It is to be observ'd, that if in any sort of Cheese, which is here mentioned, there is not a strength or briskness of taste agreeable to every Palate, it may be strengthned, by putting either Spice into the Rennet Bag, as Pepper, or Mace, or Cloves, which will make the Rennet very strong, and the Cheese of consequence more sharp to the Palate; or else add the Juices of strong sweet Herbs to the Milk, when the Rennet is put in: the Juice of Marygolds especially helps the richness of the Milk, or Cheese. The Mace in good quantity put into the Rennet will give the Cheese a most agreeable warmth.

As for the Antipathy which some People bear to Cheese, I judge that it must proceed from the first impression made from the Nurse that suckles Children, or from the first Cow's Milk that is given them: for as the Stomach is the first part which the Nourishment is received into; so, as that Nourishment is at first favourably receiv'd into the Stomach, so the Tone of the Stomach will ever remain afterwards, unless it could be so clear'd from the first impression by such a Tryal as Human Nature can hardly bear. I guess too, that from this Prejudice in the Stomach proceeds the Aversion which some People have to the Smell of Cheese; and if I may go a little farther this way, I suppose that the Dislike to Cats, and the Antipathy some People bear to them, is from Frights which the Mothers have receiv'd from them during their Pregnancy: concerning which last Particular, I have offer'd my Sentiments in the Article of the Longing of Women, in my Philosophical Account of the Works of Nature. But as for the other things, which some People bear an Aversion to, as the Mutton of black Sheep, or a Breast of Mutton, &c. they depend upon the loathing of the Stomach, from the first Impression. What I have remark'd here, concerning the preparing and softning of the quality of the Rennet Bag, is in part a reason for the first good or bad Impression that may be made upon Mankind with regard to Cheese; and I think the following relation, which I had from a noble Peer, from whom I have learnt many curious and useful things, tending to the good of my Country, will be acceptable to the World.

Some Gentlemen that had been hunting, and were led by their Sport to a retir'd part of the Country, where they found only a Cottage to refresh themselves in, were forc'd to take up with Bread and Cheese; there was nothing else to be had, and they had craving Stomachs: but one of the Company was so unfortunate as to have an aversion to Cheese, and could never bear either the taste or smell of it; however, at this time feeing how heartily it was eaten by his Companions, and being very hungry, he resolved to venture upon it, and eat heartily of it; but about an hour after was taken so very ill with Purging and Vomiting, that in a short time his Life was despair'd of. He had the Advice of the best Physicians, but no Medicine took place, and he was given over, after he had lain in that condition a Week; however, at length the Distemper went off, and by degrees he get strength enough to go homeward, and in his way happening to stop at an Inn, where there stood a Waggon Load of Cheshire Cheeses, he found that he had a strong Appetite to eat some of that sort, and had one cut on purpose, and eat heartily of it, without suffering the least inconvenience, and has ever since been a great lover of Cheese. So that there is an Example of getting over this Aversion; but considering the difficulty he went thro', it shews the danger of such an Attempt: Nothing less than the violent Scouring he underwent could have chang'd the first Impression made in his Stomach. But thus far of Cheese.

It is necessary, in the next place, to say something of Butter, and how far that may be mended in many parts of England, as well for private as for more general use.

In the first place it is to be remark'd, that some Grounds will never produce good Butter, and others will not produce good Cheese, tho' there is the best management in the Dairy. Again, there is one sort of Cattle, which tho' we feed them in the finest Grass, and best Pasture, will never yield a rich Milk; while on the other hand, there are some sorts of Cattle which will yield a rich Milk for Butter in any Pasture: tho', as I have observ'd before, the Milk and Butter will be ill tasted if the Cows fed upon Crow-Garlick, Alliaria, or Saxifrage. What I have said of this, with regard to the making of Cheese, must here be consider'd; that is, if the Cows feed upon short fine Grass, there will be more Cream in the Milk than if they feed upon long rank Grass. Indeed the long rank Grass will give more Milk than the short, but less Butter, and worse into the bargain. Again, the Milk of one Cow shall give richer and better Butter than the Milk of others, tho' they all feed on the same Pasture, even so that the Milk of one Cow will cover or enrich the Butter made from nine or ten other Cows; her Milk will make Butter of a rich yellow Colour, full of Fatness, and the others will only produce a pale, lean Butter, but all together will be good: I know several Instances of this, and every one who is skilful in a Dairy may observe it. I have already treated largely concerning this Particular, in my Works of Husbandry, and I shall therefore proceed to speak of the Management of Milk in the Dairy for making Butter; for I am very sensible, that many Farmers might have twice the Benefit from their Dairies, if the Articles of Butter and Cheese were consider'd in a rational way, and the old Custom could be broke through; and moreover, if the best Rules for managing of the Dairy were known, and put in practice, the whole Country would be the better for it, every one might enjoy the benefit of good things: whereas for want of knowledge among some Farmers, their Goods are of small value, and the People are also disatisfied.

In many parts of England, it is common to set Milk in Brass Pans, and that gives an ill Taste to the Milk; and again, there is a custom of setting the Cream in Brass-Kettles over the Fire, and as it warms to stroak the Butter as it rises to the edge of the Kettle: this way is very bad for Butter, for the warm Brass assuredly will spoil the Taste of the Cream, and it is often smoak'd. The surest way is to set the Milk in glaz'd Earthen Pans or in Leaden Pans, but the Earthen Pans are preferable. It should be particularly observ'd, that the Dairy be kept cool, for that in hot Weather contributes greatly to the Advantage of the Butter: I have known some that have had Streams of Water running thro' them, and at the same Places, instead of Glass Windows, there have been no Lights at all to them but thro' Wyer, and Shutters to them, to open or close as the Sun chang'd its Course. The thatching of the Dairy is much cooler also than Tyling; and whatever will contribute to keep off the Sun, should be practis'd. There are yet in some Places in England some Farmers that do not know the use of the Churn; however, it is certain, that there is no better way of making Butter than by that means, or something equivalent to it; that is, by beating the Cream, so that the Oily, or Fat Parts separate from the Watery Parts, in the most constant and gentle way that is possible, for to use this beating of the Cream too violently, will make the Butter like Grease; whereas a gentle beating of the Cream will render it more firm or stiff: and besides, when the Cream is beat with too much hurry, the Butter will ferment, and presently change to be of a bad Taste; but if it be gently beat or churn'd, it will be firm, and will be fit for keeping. Again, it must be observ'd, that as the beating or churning of Cream, to bring it to Butter, is only to separate the oily from the watery Parts of the Cream, so when once you begin to churn, or beat the Cream, you must continue to churn or beat it in the most constant manner you can, till the Butter is made: for if you had perhaps beat the Cream within three or four Minutes of its becoming Butter, if you leave off the Work but a Minute, the oily and watery Parts will return to one another, and will require as much Labour as before to separate them: it is like Oil and Vinegar that have been mix'd by Labour, and then let alone for a Minute or two, they will divide and separate from one another, as much as if they had never been mix'd; but the beating of it too violently, will make the Butter oily, as observ'd before. As for the Figure of our common Churn, I shall not give a draught of it, because such as are unacquainted with it may understand it much better by seeing a Model of it, which may be had at any Toy-Shop in London; nay, the very beating of Cream with a Spoon, in a small Bowl, will bring it to Butter; but it must be beat regularly.

In the great Dairies in Holland, where one Farmer keeps four or five hundred Cows, the Cream is put into a large Well, lined with Lead, and a large Beam set with cross Bars is turn'd in the Cream by a Horse; but the violence of the Motion makes the Butter rather like Oil than Butter; and the consequence is, that it will not keep long, and as I have heard say, will not melt well, like the Butter that is made by more gentle means. Where a gentle way is used in making Butter, it will cut like Wax, and it should especially be well wrought with the Hands, when it is fresh, taken from the Churn and salted for common use; for if the Milk be not well work'd out of it, the Butter will not keep. However, if Butter begins to decay in goodness, or change to an ill Taste, let it be work'd well, and wash'd with Water, and it will come to itself, and will bear salting and potting as well as fresh Butter; but always observe not to put up Butters of several sorts into the same Pot or Vessel, but chuse that of the same Dairy, and of the same making, if possible. One of the most curious Women I have met with in this way, is Mrs. Cowen, a Shopkeeper at Newport Pond in Essex, who pots great quantities every Year; there are undoubtedly many others who are very good in this way, but as I do not know them, therefore I may be excus'd if I mention her in particular.

Again, Butter that was good originally, and well potted, may be wash'd and beaten in the Winter, so as to be made more sweet and palatable than fresh Butter, made in many Places, at that time of the Year; and this is frequently practiced about London, where the workers of it get more than twice the first Price of the Butter, by their Care and Labour.

Before I conclude this Article, it may be necessary to observe, that the best managers of the Dairy frequently fill up their Churns with cold Water, before they put in the Cream to churn, in the heat of the Summer, for fear of over-heating the Butter in the making, and in the Winter heat their Churns with warm Water before they use them, but the over-heating of the Churns spoils the Butter; she best way is to set the bottom of the Churn in warm Water, when you churn in cold Weather, to save Trouble.

I shall now proceed to say something of preparing Cordial Waters; for this Month gives us a vast variety of Herbs in full perfection, and in the most proper condition for the use of the Shops, whether for drying, infusing, distilling, &c.

In the first place, all Herbs design'd to be dried, must be gather'd in dry Weather, and laid in some Room, or cover'd Place, to dry in the Shade, to be afterwards used for infusion or distillation, for which Business the dried Herbs are as useful as the green Herbs, if they be such as are Aromatick, viz. Thyme, Sweet Marjoram, Savory, Hysop, Sage, Mint, Rosemary, the Leaves of the Bay-Tree, the Tops of Juniper, Gill, or Ground Ivy, and such like: The Infusions, or Spirits, drawn from dried Herbs are more free from the Earthy and Watery Parts, than the Infusions, or Spirits drawn from green Herbs. I observe, that in making such Infusions as Teas of dried Herbs, the best way is to pour boiling Water upon them, and in half a Minute, at most, pour out the Water again from the Herbs, if we have them in small quantities, as we do Sage Tea, or other Tea; such Tea will then be of a fine green Colour, and full of Spirit: but if the Herbs stand longer with Water upon them, the Water will change of a brownish Colour, will lose the fine Flavour of the Herb, and become ill-tasted; so that in the making of Sage Tea, for example, pour on your boiling Water, and when it has been half a Minute upon the Sage-Leaves, pour it off and fling away the Leaves; for if you pour more Water upon them, you must expect your Tea of a dark Colour and ill tasted: therefore have fresh Sage to every fresh quantity of Water. And the same method should be used in the making of all kinds of Teas, to make them palatable and more wholesome. But when I speak of Teas having good qualities in them, I must not be understood to mean any of the Foreign Teas, such as Green, and Bohea Teas, &c. for I have had experience enough in them to know that they are injurious to the Body, of which I shall say more in a Treatise by it self. What I mention here, is only with regard to the infusing of Herbs in the Tea manner; but there are Infusions of Herbs in Spirits: here the Spirit that the Herbs are put into, must be cold, or used without any Fire at all, and the Herbs in this case may be used either green or dry; here they may stand several days before the Spirit that they are infus'd in be drawn off, as the following Cordial, call'd Surfeit Water, may serve to instance.



To make red Surfeit-Water. From Mrs. B.

To three Gallons of Brandy, put the Flower Leaves of a Bushel of red Poppies, one Pound of Raisins of the Sun stoned, a large Stick of Liquorice sliced, a quarter Pound of Caraway-Seeds bruised, a large Handful of Angelica, Sweet Marjoram, red Sage, Dragon's Mint, and Baulm, of each a handful; let all these be cover'd close in a Glass, or glaz'd Earthen Vessel, and stand to infuse or steep in the Brandy for nine Days, keeping it, during that time, in a Cellar; then strain it off upon a Pound and half of Loaf-Sugar, and put it into Bottles. This is a good Cordial, if used only when occasion requires.

In this Month, Orange-Flowers are in the greatest plenty; about half a Pound of them put into a Gallon of Brandy, with a quarter Pound of Orange-Peel, and half a Pound of double refin'd Loaf-Sugar, makes a very agreeable Cordial: We may let these Ingredients infuse in the Brandy nine or ten days before we pour the Brandy from them. Some chuse rather to put the Sugar to the Brandy after it is pour'd from the Orange-Flowers.

As for the distilling part, we have already several Books which treat largely of that Business, both with respect to the management of what is call'd the cold Still, and the Alembick, to which I shall refer: but in this place I shall only take notice, that whereas several kinds of distill'd Waters are drawn from many Herbs, which do not appear all the Year about; so if one has not an opportunity of collecting all our Herbs together, just when we want them, we may yet distil those we can get at one time, and make another Distillation of those we collect at another time, and so mix both Spirits or Waters together: For Example, in those Cordial Waters where the Ros Solis, or Rosa Solis is used, which is an Herb not always to be found, and will not keep above a day or two after 'tis gather'd, this I say may be distill'd by itself, and kept to use with other Waters at pleasure; putting of this such a proportion as would have been produced from the quantity directed, of the Plant, in the Receipt, if it had been distill'd with the other Herbs: and so of any other Herb that is hard to come by.

This Herb, however, I may inform my Reader, grows in Bogs, and when we find it we may preserve it artificially, by either planting it immediately in other boggy places, or else in artificial Bogs, made of Earth and Water in Tubs, or Earthen Pots, made without holes at the bottom.

This Season affords us great variety of Necessaries for Food, in the Farm and Garden; the Pond Fish, as Pike or Jack, Carp, Tench, and Perch, as well as Eels are in Season, and may be prepared for the Table, as directed in March; there are likewise green Geese, young Ducks, Chickens, Pigeons, and Rabbits in the artificial Warren; and in the Garden, Spinage and Cabbage-Lettuce to boil, some forward Pease and Beans, Asparagus, Artichokes, the first Cabbages, and Caulyflowers, Cucumbers for stewing and in raw Sallads: however, in this Season all raw Sallads should yet partake of some warm Herbs, as I have directed in my New Improvement of Planting and Gardening. The Method which I most approve of for dressing a Sallad, is, after we have duly proportion'd the Herbs, to take two thirds Oil Olive, one third true Vinegar, some hard Eggs cut small, both the Whites and Yolks, a little Salt and some Mustard, all which must be well mix'd and pour'd over the Sallad, having first cut the large Herbs, such as Sallery, Endive, or Cabbage-Lettuce, but none of the small ones: then mix all these well together, that it may be ready just when you want to use it, for the Oil will make it presently soften, and lose its briskness. Onions should always be kept in reserve, because it is not every one that like their relish, nor is Oil agreeable to every one; but where Oil is not liked, the Yolks of hard Eggs, bruis'd and mix'd with the Vinegar, may be used as above. The difficulty of getting good Oil in England, is, I suppose, the reason why every one does not admire it; for I was once of opinion I could never like it: but when I was once persuaded to taste such as was of the best sort, I could never after like a Sallad without it. The best Oil that I have met with in England, is at Mr. Crosse's, a Genouese Merchant, at the Genouese Arms in Katherine-Street, in the Strand, London.

As for the ordering of the above Animals and Vegetables for the Table, we may find Directions in this Work.

In this Month gather Elder-Flowers when they are dry, and pick them from the Stalks; let them dry in the Shade, and then put an Ounce to each Quart of White-Wine Vinegar, to stand in the Vinegar for two Months, then pour the Vinegar from them for use.

About the end of this Month is a proper time to make Sage-Wine, which is a very pleasant one, and I think worthy a place among the best Receipts.



To make Sage-Wine. From Mrs. E. B.

To three Gallons of Water put six Pounds of Sugar, boil these together, and as the Scum rises take it off, and when it is well boiled put it in a Tub boiling hot, in which there is already a Gallon of red Sage Leaves clean pick'd and wash'd; when the Liquor is near cold, put in the Juice of four large Lemons, beaten well with a little Ale Yeast, mix these all well together, and cover it very close from the Air, and let it stand forty eight Hours; then strain all thro' a fine Hair-Sieve, and put it into a Vessel that will but just hold it, and when it has done working, slop it down close, and let it stand three Weeks or a Month before you bottle it, putting a Lump of Loaf-Sugar into every Bottle. This Wine is best when it is three Months old. After this manner you may make Wine of any other Herb or Flower.

* * * * *

JUNE.

This Month is a proper Season for making several sorts of Wine, whether it be that of Goosberries, Currants, Cherries, Apricots, or Rasberries, all which are very agreeable and worth the trouble; the Expence, where these Fruits are growing, being very inconsiderable. The following Receipts are approved to be very excellent.



Preliminaries to the making of Goosberry-Wine.

Goosberry-Wine is one of the richest and strongest Wines made in England, it will keep many Years, and improve by keeping, if it be well made; and is not, in my opinion, inferior to Mountain Malaga.

To make this Wine, we must have regard to the sort of Goosberry we design to use, for there is a great deal of difference in the time of one sort's ripening and another: the earliest ripe are the Champaign, the Green, the Black, and Red hairy Goosberries, every one of which has a Flavour distinct from the other sorts, and so will yield each of them a Wine of as different a relish from the rest, as one may expect to find among the several Varieties of the French growth. The most forward of these kinds about London ripen early in this Month, if the Season be good; but the later forts are not generally ripe till the end of the Month, or in July. The later sorts are commonly the white Dutch, the Amber, and the Walnut-Goosberries, each of which has likewise a different fort of taste: of the Amber especially I have known an excellent Wine to be made. Again, we must consider, that as to the time of their ripening, the diversity of Situations will forward or retard them a Fortnight or three Weeks; and beside, as we have observed above, every Season is not alike, and we must have regard also to the difference of Climate, one part of Britain is three Weeks sooner or later than another: and when I say in any one of my Kalendars, or Monthly Directories, that any particular Fruit is ripe, or any particular thing is to be done in such a Month, it must be understood that it is generally so, but will vary now and then, as the Season is more or less forward. There is likewise another thing to be consder'd relating to the ripeness of Fruits, and that is, the different Opinions or Tastes of Mankind; some call them ripe when they just begin to turn: but what I mean by ripeness, is, when a Fruit is as tender as it can be, and possessing its highest Flavour: And by those Fruits which I call half ripe, I mean such as have their inward Juices sweet, and their outward Parts a little hard and sour. In this state should the Goosberry be gather'd for making of Wine, See the following Receipt.



To make Goosberry-Wine.

Gather your Goosberries in dry Weather, when they are half ripe, as I have explained in the above Preliminaries, pick them and bruise them in a Tub, with a wooden Mallet, or other such like Instrument, for no Metal is proper; then take about the quantity of a Peck of the bruised Goosberries, put them into a Bag made of Horse-Hair, and press them as much as possible, without breaking the Kernels: repeat this Work till all your Goosberries are press'd, and adding to this press'd Juice, the other which you will find in the Tub, add to every Gallon three Pounds of powder Sugar, for Lisbon Sugar will give the Wine a taste which may be disagreeable to some People, and besides it will sweeten much more than the dry powder Sugar; stir this together till the Sugar is dissolved, and then put it in a Vessel or Cask, which must be quite fill'd with it. If the Vessel holds about ten or twelve Gallons, it must stand a Fortnight or three Weeks; or if about twenty Gallons, then about four or five Weeks, to settle, in a cool Place: then draw off the Wine from the Lee, and after you have discharg'd the Vessel from the Lees, return the clear Liquor again into the Vessel, and let it stand three Months, if the Cask is about ten Gallons; or between four and five Months, if it be twenty Gallons, and then bottle it off. We must note, that a small Cask of any Liquor is always sooner ripe and fit for drinking than the Liquor of a larger Cask will be; but a small Body of Liquor will sooner change sour, than that which is in a larger Cask. The Wine, if it is truly prepared, according to the above Directions, will improve every Year, and last several Years.



Preliminaries to the making of Currant Wine.

It is to be noted, that tho' there are two sorts of Currants, which may be used for making of Wine, that is, the Red and the White; yet the Taste and Goodness will be the same, whether 'tis made of the White or the Red, for they have both the same Qualities, except in the Colour. Observe also, that the Fruit be gather'd in a dry time, and that if you make a large Quantity, it must stand longer in the Vessel, before bottling, than a small Quantity.



To make Currant Wine.

When your Currants are full ripe, gather them, and pick them from the Stalks and weigh them, in order to proportion your Water and Sugar to them. When this is done, bruise them to pieces with your Hands, and add to every three Pounds of Currants a Quart of Water, stirring all together, and letting it stand three Hours, at the end of which time, strain it off gently thro' a Sieve, and put your Sugar into your Liquor, after the rate of a Pound to every three Pounds of Currants. This Sugar should be powder Sugar, for Lisbon Sugar would give the Wine an ill Taste. Stir this well together, and boil it till you have taken off all the Scum, which will rise plentifully; set it then to cool, at least sixteen Hours, before you put it into the Vessel. If you make the Quantity of twenty Gallons, it may stand in the Vessel three Weeks before it will be fit for bottling; and if you make thirty Gallons, then it must stand a Month before it be bottled off, observing then to put a small Lump of Sugar into every Bottle; it must be kept in a cool place, to prevent its Fretting. By this Method it will keep good many Years, and be a very strong and pleasant Wine, at a very cheap rate.

It is necessary to observe, that the same sort of Currant is not always of the same Sweetness when it is ripe, those growing in the Shade will be less sweet than those that are more exposed to the Sun. And when the Summer happens to be wet and cold, they will not be so sweet as in a dry warm Season; therefore tho' the Standard of the above Receipt be one Pound of Sugar to three Pounds of pick'd Currants, yet the Palate of the Person who makes the Wine should be the Regulator, when the Sugar is put to the Juice, considering at the same time, that it is a Wine they are making, and not a Syrup. The Sugar is only put to soften and preserve the Juice, and too much will make the Wine ropey.

This Season is proper for making Cherry Wine, the Kentish and Flemish Cherries being now full ripe, which are much the best for this purposes: This is a very pleasant strong Wine.



To make Cherry Wine.

Gather your Cherries in dry Weather, when they are full ripe, pick them from the Stalks, and bruise them well with your Hands till they are all broken; then put them into a Hair Bag, and press them till you have as much Liquor from them as will run without breaking the Stones. To every Gallon of this Juice, put one Pound of powder Sugar, and having stirr'd it well together, boil it and scum it as long as any Scum will rise; then set it in a cool Place till it is quite cold, and put it into your Vessel, when it will presently begin to work. When the Working is over, slop the Vessel close, and let it stand four Months; if it holds the Quantity of twenty Gallons, or more or less, as the Quantity happens to be, then bottle it off, putting a Lump of Loaf-Sugar into each Bottle. It will keep two or three Years, if it be set in a cool Place.

I have now done with the Wines that are to be made in this Month: I shall in the next place set down the Method of keeping or preserving Fruits for Tarts all the Year about, as I had it from a very curious Person, in whose House I have seen it practised with extraordinary Success. The Fruits which are chiefly to be put up this Month, are Goosberries, Currants and Cherries.



To preserve Fruits for Tarts all the Year.

The Goosberries must be full grown, but not ripe, they must be gather'd in dry Weather, and pick'd clean of their Stalks and Tops; then put them into Quart Bottles, that are made on purpose, with large wide Necks, and cork them gently with new sound Corks, and put them into an Oven after the Bread is drawn, letting them stand there till they have shrunk about a fourth part; observing to change them now and then, because those which you set at the further part of the Oven, will be soonest done. When you find them enough, according to the above Direction, take them out, and immediately beat the Corks in as tight as you can, and cut the Tops off even with the Bottles, and pitch them over; you must then set your Bottles by, in a dry Place. I have tasted of Fruits done this way, that have made as good Tarts at the Year's end, as those that were fresh gather'd: The only difference between the preserving Goosberries and Currants, is, that the Currants must be full ripe when we put them into the Bottles, and so likewise the Cherries.

There is another way of putting up Fruits for this use, which is, by half preserving them with Sugar, i.e. half a Pound of Sugar to every Pound of Fruit. Apricots especially, when they are near ripe, make excellent Tarts; being split and pared from the Skin, and boiled in a Syrup, they will keep the Year round, as an ingenious Lady has told me. It is also to be remark'd, that ripe Goosberries make very fine Tarts.

The beginning of this Month, when the Goosberries are full grown, but not ripe, is the right Season for preserving of them in sweet-meat: The white Dutch Goosberry is the best for this use.

So likewise if you have plenty of Kentish Cherries, pick some of them from the Stalks, and lay the Cherries upon a fine Wire Sieve, and dry them in an Oven; when they are dried enough, and quite cold, put them in an Earthen glazed Jar, and stop them up close: These must be kept in a dry place.

Upon the foot of the above Receipt, for preserving of Fruits, I have a Notion that we may preserve green Pease, after the same manner, in Bottles, that I have mention'd for the preserving of Goosberries, Currants, &c. So that they will eat tender and well tasted at Christmas: it is well worth the tryal, seeing that a Bottle or two cannot be any great Expence, and that Pease are acceptable almost to every one. This I have persuaded some of my Acquaintance to try, but particularly a very curious Person in such matters, who tells me, that provided this method answers what we aim at, he supposes they will be the most agreeable, either to be boiled with Cream, or stew'd in Gravey, after the French manner, for it is a dispute with him, whether they will hold their green Colour; but, as I observ'd before, it may be try'd at an easy Expence.

The beginning of this Month is the time to pickle Walnuts, for then the Walnuts have not began to shell, and moreover are not so bitter nor hollow as they will be afterwards; they will now be full flesh'd, and you will have no Loss. The following Method I learnt from Mr. Foord, a curious Gentleman of Buckingham, and has been experienced to be the best way. There is one thing indeed which must be regarded in this Pickle, which is, that every one does not love the Taste of Onion or Garlick; but that may be omitted as we please, only supplying the place with Ginger.



To pickle Walnuts.

The Walnuts being fit for pickling, wash them, and put them into a Kettle to scald; then with a piece of Flannel rub off the outer Skin, and let them lie till they are quite cold, after which put them into a Vessel of Salt and Water, and let them stand 24 Hours; then take them out, and put them again into fresh Salt and Water for 24 Hours more; then shift them as before, and continue this Practice for fourteen Days, at the end of which time wipe them dry, and lay them in a glazed earthen Pot, Stratum super Stratum, with Spice, whole Mustard-Seed, Horse-Radish slic'd, and Garlick, or Eschalots: that is to say, make a Layer of Walnuts, and strew over it whole Pepper, Ginger slic'd, Horse-Radish slic'd, some whole Mustard-Seed, and three or four Cloves of Garlick; or if Garlick be too strong, as many Cloves of Shalots. Then lay upon these another Layer of Walnuts, and upon them the Roots and Spices as before, and so continue till your Pot is full; then pour over the whole, as much boiling Vinegar as will cover them, and immediately cover the Pot close, and let it stand till the next Day, when we may again pour off the Vinegar from them, without disturbing them; and making it again boiling hot, pour it upon them, and stop them close, as before, to be set by for use. But these will not be fit for eating under three Weeks or a Month, and will be much better by keeping a few Months.

This Month is a proper time to make Syrup of Clove-Julyflowers, and likewise to make Julyflower Wine, which is a very rich Liquor, and may be made in the best manner, by the following Receipt from Mrs. B. B.



To make Julyflower Wine.

Take nine Gallons of Water, and twenty four Pounds of Sugar, boil these on a gentle Fire till one Gallon is lost, or evaporated, taking off the Scum as it rises. Then having prepared a Bushel of Clove Julyflowers, the red Flower Leaves only, pour the Liquor scalding hot upon them, and cover them close till the next Day, then pressing them with a Screw-press. When this is done, bake a piece of Bread hard, without scorching, before the Fire, and while it is warm, spread some Ale-Yeast upon it, and put it into the Liquor, in an open Tub, till it begins to worker ferment; the next Day after which, add two quarts of Sack, and one of Rhenish Wine, and barrel it for three Weeks or a Month; let it then be bottled, and kept in a cool Place.

In this Month such Carp and Tench are good as have not lately spawn'd; the dressing of them, and of Pikes, or Jacks, see in March. Perch are now very good, the large ones for stewing, as recommended for Carp, or boiled or fry'd, or else in the Dutch manner, call'd Water Soochy; which is to boil the Perches with Salt in the Water, and Parsley-Roots and Parsley Leaves, to be brought to Table in the Water they are boiled in, and eaten with Bread and Butter. 'Tis an odd way to the English, but is much admir'd by many Genlemen who have travell'd.

The Garden is now very rich in Eatables, as may be seen in my Gardener's Kalendar, printed for Mr. Mears.

The Trasopogon, or Goatsbeard, is now, as well as in the former Month, fit for boiling; it is in much request in some of the Western parts of England, especially about Bristol, as I am inform'd, where the Country People call it Trangompoop, or Crangompoop, a corruption, as I suppose, from the true Name above written: This is eaten like Asparagus, and dress'd the same way, the part which is eaten is the blossomy Bud a little before it would flower, with about six Inches of the Stalk to it.

There are now Chickens, Pigeons, Ducks, and some young wild Ducks, and Rabbets, which may not only make great Variety at a Table, to be drest after the common plain way, but may also be made into elgant Dishes, after the several manners mention'd in this Work, if there is an occasion to entertain particular People of fine Taste.

The Ronceval and Mooretto Pease, and Windsor Beans, are also good helps to a Table: I need say nothing of their dressing; but that I am of opinion, that the Windsor Beans, when they are blanch'd, that is, boiled long enough till we can take off their Skins, and then put into large-neck'd Bottles, and order'd as I have prescrib'd for the preserving of Pease; by this means I suppose they may be preserv'd many Months: but we may defer this Experiment till the end of September, to be try'd upon the latter Crops.

Near the Sea we have Mackrel in the height of perfection, and Mullet, Turbut, Herrings, Scate, and Soles, as also Lobsters and Crabs; and in the Rivers, Salmon and Trout are still good, and some Cray-Fish.

'Tis now a proper Season to put up Rasp-berries, either in Sweetmeat, or to infuse in Brandy; but they must be gather'd dry. There are certain People who know how to mix these with Port Wine, and imitate the richest Florence Wine.

About Midsummer is a proper time to put up a Boar for Brawn against Christmas, or against the beginning of December, for then is the Season it sells best, and is chiefly in request, selling at that time for twelve Pence per Pound.

For this end we should chuse an old Boar, for the older he is, the more horny will the Brawn be: We must provide for this use a Frank, as the Farmers call it, which must be built very strong to keep the Boar in. The figure of the Frank should be somewhat like a Dog-Kennel, a little longer than the Boar, which we put up so close on the Sides that the Boar cannot turn about in it; the Back of this Frank must have a sliding Board, to open and shut at pleasure, for the conveniency of taking away the Dung, which should be done every Day. When all this is very secure, and made as directed, put up your Boar, and take care that he is so placed, as never to see or even hear any Hogs; for if he does, he will pine away, and lose more good Flesh in one Day than he gets in a Fortnight: He must then be fed with as many Pease as he will eat, and as much skim'd Milk, or flet Milk, as is necessary for him. This method must be used with him till he declines his Meat, or will eat very little of it, and then the Pease must be left off, and he must be fed with Paste made of Barley Meal, made into Balls as big as large Hen-Eggs, and still the Skim-Milk continued, till you find him decline that likewise, at which time he will be fit to kill for Brawn; the Directions for making of which, with the Pickle for it, see in the Month of December. During the time he is thus feeding, great care must be taken that he has always Meat before him, for neglect in this will spoil the whole Design.

This is the way of feeding a Boar for Brawn, but I cannot help thinking 'tis a little barbarous, and especially as the Creature is by some People put in so close a Pen, that as I hear, it cannot lie down all the while 'tis feeding; and at last, considering the expence of Food, Brawn is but an insipid kind of Meat: however, as some are lovers of it, it is necessary to prescribe the method which should be used in the preparing it.

In this Month we have plenty of Artichokes and it is a good Season to put them up for Winter use, to be used simply, or to be put in Sauces, or in compound Dishes; they are easily dried or pickled, to be kept, and if they are not gather'd as soon as they are in their perfection, they will lose the goodness of their Hearts, or the Bottoms, as some call them. In a plentiful Year of them I have had a great number dried for Winter use, in the following manner.



Concerning the gathering, and ordering Artichokes for drying.

In the gathering of Artichokes, observe, that the Leaves of what is call'd the Artichoke be pointing inwards, and lie close at the Top, for then the Bottom will be large and full; but if you find many of the Leaves of the Artichoke spread from the Top, then the Choke, or bristly part is shot so much, that it has drawn out much of the Heart of the Artichoke; and as the Flower comes forward, the more that grows, the thinner will be the Bottom, which is the best part of it.

When you cut the Artichoke, cut it with a long Stalk, that when you use it you may clear it well of its Strings, which will else spoil the goodness of the Bottom, wherein the Strings will remain; to do this, lay the Artichoke upon a Table, and hold it down hard with one Hand, while with the other Hand you pull the Stalk hard up and down, till it quits the Artichoke, and will then pull away the Strings along with it; this being done, lay the Artichokes in Water for an Hour, and then put them into a Kettle of cold Water to boil, till they are tender enough to separate the Leaves and the Chokes from them. When this is done, lay the Hearts, or Bottoms upon a Cullender, or some other thing, to drain conveniently; then dry them upon a Wire Sieve, or Gridiron, in a gentle Oven, by degrees, till they are as hard as Wood. These will keep good twelve Months if they are laid by in a dry Place.

When we want to use these for boiling, frying, or to accompany other Meats, we must put them into warm Water, often repeating it to them for eight and forty Hours, by which means they will come to themselves, and be as good when they come to be scalded as if they were fresh gather'd. But they may also be preserv'd after the following manner.



Second Way to preserve Artichokes.

Having chosen your Artichokes according to the above Directions, cut the Bottoms, with a sharp Knife, clear of their Leaves and their Chokes, flinging them immediately into cold Water, to prevent their turning black. When they have lain in the Water for seven or eight Minutes, wash them and drain them a little, and then fling them into Wheat or Barley Flower, so that they be all over cover'd with it; after which, lay them upon Wire Sieves, or Pieces of Wicker-work to dry in an Oven gently, till they are quite dry and hard: these must be kept in a dry Place, and when they are to be used, steep them in Water four and twenty Hours, and boil them till they are tender, they will eat as well as if they were fresh cut.

The Artichoke may likewise be pickled in the following manner.



To preserve Artichokes by Pickling.

Gather and prepare your Artichokes as before, and put them into cold Water to boil, with a moderate quantity of Salt; then take them off the Fire, and let the Water stand in the Kettle for a quarter of an hour, till the Salt is settled to the bottom; then pour off your Water clear into an Earthen glazed Vesel where you design to put your Artichokes, and clearing them from the Leaves and Choaks, wash them well in two or three Waters, and put them in the Brine or Pickle they were boiled in, when both are quite cold; upon which pour as much Oil as will cover it half an Inch thick, or where Oil is wanting, melted Butter will serve: be sure you put so much as will keep the Air from the Artichokes. Some will add some Vinegar to the Water, but that is at pleasure; when this is done, cover the top of the Earthen Pot close with Paper, and lay a Board over it to keep it from any Air, or else cover the Pot with a wet Bladder, and tie it down close. They will keep good a Year, and when we want to use them, lay them to steep in cold Water to take out the Salt; you may shift the Water three or four times, they will be the better for it, and then use them in Pyes, or other compound Dishes.

In Holland I have often eaten the small Suckers of Artichokes fry'd, which have made an agreeable Dish. The Receipt for preparing them is the following.



To fry small Suckers of Artichokes, or small Artichokes.

Gather the young Heads of Artichokes, and boil them with Salt and Water till they are tender; these Artichokes should be no bigger than middling Apples; split these in four or six Parts each, flower them well, and fry them crisp in Hogs-lard, and eat them with Butter, Pepper, and a little Verjuice or Orange-Juice.

It is a common practice in France to eat the small Heads of Artichokes raw, with Vinegar, Pepper, and Salt; the Method is to pull off the single Leaves, and dip the fleshy part of the Leaves into it and eat that. They are agreeably bitter, and create an Appetite.

This Month Rasberries are ripe; and as they make a most pleasant Wine, I shall here give the Receipt for making it.



To make Rasberry Wine.

To every Quart of the Juice of Rasberries, put a Pint of Water, and to every Quart of Liquor a Pound of fine Sugar; then set it on the Fire to boil half an hour, taking off the Scum as it rises: then set it to cool, and when it is quite cold, put it in a Vessel and let it stand ten Weeks or something more if the Weather prove cold; when it is settled, bottle it, and it will keep two Years. Altho' I have set down in this Month a good experienced way of making Goosberry Wine, which will keep twenty Years, and grow better by Age; yet I cannot pass by a Receipt which is highly commended for making Wine of Red Goosberries, which I had from an Acquaintance who frequently makes it.



To make Red Goosberry Wine.

When the Red Goosberries are well colour'd and not over-ripe, but grateful to the Taste, gather them in a dry Day; take a Peck of these, and slit them a little more than half thro' the middle, putting them into a large glazed Earthen Pan, with eight Pounds of fine powder'd Sugar strew'd over them; then boil four Gallons of Cyder, and pour it boiling hot upon the Sugar and Goosberries: this must stand eight or ten Days, stirring it once each Day, and at length strain it thro' a Flannel in a Press, and put the Liquor into the Vessel with a warm Toast of Wheat-bread, spread on both sides with Ale-Yeast; this must stand two or three Months till it is fine, and then bottle it. This is a very strong Wine, and of a bright red Colour.

* * * * *

JULY.

This Month is the principal Season for pickling of Cucumbers, for that Fruit is now in the greatest Perfection, as well for pickling them in imitation of Mango's, or as Girkins. They are now to be had in great plenty, and are free from Spots.



The following is an extraordinary Receipt for pickling of Cucumbers to imitate Mango's.

Gather large Cucumbers of as green a Colour as may be, wash them well in common Water, and then either cut off their Tops, and scoop out all the seedy part, or else cut a Slice out of the Side of each of them, and scrape out the seedy part with a small Spoon, taking care not to mismatch the Slices or Tops of the Cucumbers, that they may tie up the better when we come to fill them with Spices, &c. When we have thus prepared enough to fill the Jar or Earthen Vessel which we design for them, peel some Garlick or Shalots, which you like best, and put either two Cloves of Shalot into each Cucumber, or one middling Clove of Garlick; and also into every one put a thin slice or two of Horse-radish, a slice of Ginger, and, according to custom, a Tea Spoonful of whole Mustard-seed; but, in my opinion, that may be left out. Then putting on the tops of the Cucumbers, or the Slices that were cut out of them, tie them close with strong Thread, and place them in your Jar. Then prepare your Pickle of Vinegar, which we suppose to be about five Quarts to two dozen of large Cucumbers, to which put about a Pound of Bay-Salt, half an Ounce of whole Pepper, about an Ounce of Ginger sliced, and a large Root of Horse-radish sliced; boil these in a brass Sauce-pan for about fifteen Minutes, taking off the Scum as it rises, and then pour it upon your Cucumbers, and cover the top of the Vessel with a coarse Linnen Cloth four or five times double, and set the Vessel near the Fire to keep warm; the day following you will find them changed to a yellow Colour, but that will alter in a day or two to be much greener than they were at first, if you use the following Method: Pour all your Pickle into a brass Skellet, and add to it a piece of Allum as big as a Walnut, and set it over the Fire till it boils, then pour it on your Cucumbers as before, and repeat the same every day till the Cucumbers are of the Greenness you desire. When you have pour'd on your Pickle for the last time, the Jar must be cover'd as before, but remain without Corking till it is quite cold, then stop it close and set it by, in a dry place. The Corks for the stopping of these Jars should be cover'd with soft glove-leather, for the naked Corks will make the Pickles musty. See the Mango's made of green Melons in the Month of September.



To preserve Green Cucumbers for slicing in the Winter, by Mr. Foord of Buckingham.

Gather Cucumbers half grown, that is, before they incline to be seedy, put them in Salt and Water for five or six days, shifting it every day; then wipe them dry, and put them in Vinegar with a little Allum to green over the fire; then take out the Cucumbers, and boil the pickle to pour hot upon them, covering the Mouth of the Jar with a coarse Cloath four or five times doubled, and let the Jar stand near the fire. When this Pickle is quite cold, stop the Jar close with a leather'd Cork, as mention'd in the foregoing Receipt for Mango Cucumbers. These Cucumbers may be used in the Winter to be pared and sliced like those gather'd fresh from the Garden; you may cut an Onion with them, and eat them with Pepper, Vinegar and Oil.



To Pickle Cucumbers, from Mr. Foord of Buckingham.

Gather the smallest Cucumbers you can find, for it is the smallest Size, which is most commonly brought to table among People of the first Rank; tho' a Cucumber of two Inches long will do very well, or even one of three Inches. These must be put in Salt and Water, to be shifted every day till they change to a yellow colour: wipe them dry, and prepare Pickle of Vinegar, a piece of Allum as big as a Wallnut to a gallon, or in proportion, Ginger diced, Mace, whole Pepper, a few Bay-leaves, and some Dill-Seed, which will do better than the Herb it self. Tye the Seeds in a piece of Muslin, that when the Pickle by boiling is strong enough of the Dill, you may take it out. This Pickle, when it is of a right flavour, must be pour'd boiling hot upon the Cucumbers, which must be laid in a Stone Jar or Gallypot proper for them, and then cover'd with a coarse Linnen Cloth folded in several Doubles, and let them stand near the fire: Repeat the boiling of the Pickle every day, pouring it hot upon the Cucumbers, and covering them as before, till they become of the green colour you desire. When they are quite cold, stop them up close with a leather'd Cork, as directed in the former Receipt, if you use a Jar, or else if you make use of a Gallypot, tye them down with Leather or a wet Bladder. It is to be understood, that Allum and boiling Vinegar will strike a green colour to any unripe Fruit; but care must be taken that too much Allum be not used, left the stomach be offended by it. It is a custom in some places to pickle the green Pods of Capsicum Indicum with their Cucumbers, which will contribute to make them much hotter or warmer to the Stomach, and promote Digestion in cold Constitutions. But the Capsicums should be boiled in Water gently, and wiped dry, before you put them among the Cucumbers, where they must be placed before the Pickle is poured upon them.

Kidney-Beans are pickled the same way as the Cucumbers, only leaving out the Dill; and the Dill also may be left out of the Cucumber-Pickle, if it is not agreeable to the Palate; and so likewise in other Pickles, Garlick or Onions, or any particular Spice may be left out which is disagreeable, for it is not the business here to pin down the Palate of any one to a certain Relish that I may like my self, but to put it in the power of every one to preserve or order such things as a Farm or Garden affords, so that they may be pleased with them. The Receipts which I have here given, are what I have generally found to be the most approved. We have some who pickle the green Fruit of the Passion-Tree, the Berougella, and Fig: but for my part I can find nothing to recommend them, but the relish of the Pickle, neither are they by any means wholesome.

The Flowers of the Nasturtium Indicum make an excellent Sallad in this Month, and the Seeds of the Plant, while they are green, may be pickled to our satisfaction: the Receipt for pickling them is as follows.



To pickle Nasturtium Seeds.

Gather the Seeds when they are full grown and green, in a dry day, and lay them in Salt and Water for two or three days; then boil Vinegar, with some Mace, Ginger sliced, and a few Bay-Leaves, for fifteen Minutes, and pour it boiling hot upon them, covering them with a Cloth, as prescribed in this Month for the other Pickles, and repeat the boiling of the Pickle, and scalding them with it for three days successively; and when the last is poured on, let it be cold before you cork it up. The folded Cloth which should be put over the Mouth of the Jar, will suffer some of the Steam of the Pickle to pass thro' it, and by that means the Pickles will not turn mouldy, so soon as they might otherwise do, and besides will be much greener than if they were to be close stopped. All these Pickles should be kept in a dry Place, and look'd into every Month, lest by chance they turn mouldy; which if you find they incline to, boil the Pickle afresh, and pour it on them as before.

There is now the Skerret fit to be eaten; it is a very nourishing and pleasant Root, and is prepared in the following manner for the Table: the Culture of it is set forth at large in my new Improvements of Planting and Gardening, printed for Mr. Mears, near Temple-Bar,

The Skerret, tho' it is none of the largest Roots, yet is certainly one of the best Products of the Garden, if it be rightly dress'd; the way of doing which, is to wash the Roots very well, and boil them till they are tender, which need not be very long. Then the Skin of the Roots must be taken off, and a Sauce of melted Butter and Sack pour'd over them. In this manner are they serv'd at the Table, and eaten with the Juice of Orange, and some likewise use Sugar with them, but the Root is very sweet of itself.

Some, after the Root is boil'd, and the Skin is taken off, fry them, and use the Sauce as above: So likewise the Roots of Salsify and Scorzoncra are to be prepared for the Table.

The Apple call'd the Codlin is in good perfection for scalding, the manner of doing which, that they may be brought to Table, of a fine green Colour, is as follows.

Gather your Codlins half grown, and without Spots, for if they are spotted, they are commonly Worm-eaten; scald them in Water till the Skin will come off easily, then put them again into cold Water, and a small piece of Allum to green in a Brass Pan over the Fire; which they will soon do if they are kept close cover'd.

The following Receipt is sent me by a curious Person for pickling of Codlins, in imitation of Mango.

Gather Codlins green and near full grown, blanch them, that is, scald them in soft Water till the Skin will peel off, then prepare your Pickle of Vinegar and Bay Salt, about a large Spoonful of Salt to a Quart of Vinegar, three or four Cloves of Garlick, a quarter of an Ounce of Ginger sliced, and as much whole Pepper; boil this in a Brass Pan, with a piece of Allum as big as a Horse-Bean, for half a quarter of an hour, and pour it hot upon your Codlins, covering the Mouth of the Jar with a Cloth, and let it stand by the Fire-side; boil the Pickle again the day following, and apply it as before, and repeat the same till your Codlins are as green as you desire, and when they are quite cold, cork them close, and set them by in a dry place. There is one thing must however be observed in all these Picklings, which is, that if the Pickles do not come to their fine green Colour presently, by boiling often of the Pickle at first, yet by standing three or four Weeks, and then boiling the Pickle afresh, they will come to a good Colour; and then your Pickles will eat the firmer and keep the longer, when they are not too soon brought to Colour.

In this Month we have the Morello and Black Cherry ripe, which both are pleasant in Brandy; to those who would have Drams by them, the way of making Black-Cherry Brandy, is only to pick the Cherries from the Stalks, and put them whole into the Brandy, about a Pound of Cherries to a Quart; this may remain for about a Month before it is fit to drink, and then the Brandy may be pour'd from the Cherries, and the Cherries put then into a Vessel of Ale will make it extremely strong, only about the proportion of a Pound of Cherries to a Gallon of Ale; but some will put fresh Brandy to them, and the Cherries will turn the Brandy of a deep Colour, and give it a strong taste of Ratafia; others will distill these Cherries in a cold Still, with as much Water as will cover them, and draw a fine Cordial from them.



To make Visney.

This Visney is made of pure Brandy, and as many Morello Cherries as will fill the Bottles or Casks, with one Ounce of Loaf-Sugar to each full Quart; these Vessels or Bottles must be gently stopp'd, when the Cherries are put in, and stand in a cool Cellar for two Months before the Liquor is poured from them, and then the Liquor may be put in small Bottles for use: It is not very strong, but very pleasant. The Cherries, when they are taken out, may be distill'd, and will yield a fine Spirit.

In some places, where there are Laurels grow wild, without Cutting or pruning, I mean, the Lauro-Cerasus, as we find in many old Gardens, that Plant is apt to bear Berries, which in reality are Cherries, from whence it has its Name; these Berries, or Cherries, are ripe about this time, and make a fine Cordial, if we infuse them in Brandy for two or three Months with a little Sugar; this will have a Flavour of Abricot Kernels, and be of a rich red Colour. While I am speaking of this, I cannot help taking notice of a particular Dram which I tasted at a curious Gentleman's House at Putney in Surrey, W. Curtis Esq; which he made by infusing of the Cornelian Cherry in Brandy; that Gentleman is the only one who I think has yet tried it, and to my Palate it seems to be so like Tockay Wine, that it must be a very good judge who can discover the difference. I have drank that Wine in perfection, and this preparation has both the Colour, Taste, and Proportion of strength equal to it; for the great strength of the Brandy is lost in the Cornelian Cherry, and tho' the Cornelian Cherry is of a bright red Colour, yet this Liquor is of the Colour of Tockay Wine.

Those who live near London, may, about this Season, buy Geese out of the Flocks, which are now drove up to that City, at about five and twenty, or thirty Shillings a score; and till the Season we are to turn them into the Stubble, we may feed them chiefly with the Offals of the Garden, Lettuce especially, which will fatten them, if you have enough: but as for their particular Feed for fatting, I shall speak of that in another place.

About this Season Abricots are ripe, and where there are plenty of them, we may make a pleasant Wine with them. The following Receipt is a very good one.



To make Apricot Wine. From Mrs. J. L.

To every Quart of Water put a Pound and half of Apricots, that are not over-ripe, let them be wiped clean, and cut in pieces; boil these till the Liquor is strong of the Apricot Flavour; then strain the Liquor thro' a Sieve, and put to every Quart four or five Ounces of white Sugar, boil it again, and scum it as it rises, and when the Scum rises no more, pour it into an Earthen Pot; the Day following bottle it, putting into every Bottle a lump of Loaf-Sugar, as big as a Nutmeg. This will presently be fit for drinking, is a very pleasant Liquor; but will not keep long.

* * * * *

AUGUST.

In this Month there are many Delicacies about a Country Seat; all kinds of Pond-Fish are good, there is plenty of Poultry of all kinds, wild and tame, except the Water-Fowl, which should yet remain untouch'd. Turkey Poults, Pheasant Poults, Partridges, and some sort of Pigeons, are good; but for the most part the Dove-cote Pigeons are distemper'd, and are now full of Knots in their Skins, and unwholesome. The Eggs of Fowls likewise at this Season, as well as in the former Month, are unhealthful. Towards the end, Pork comes again in Season, and young Pigs also are pretty plentiful; 'tis a good time likewise to save young Pigs to grow up for now you may turn them with their Dams into the Stubbles, and soon after into the Woods. About the end of this Month, you have Rabbets full grown in common Warrens, and young wild Ducks; and those who live near the Sea, have plenty of Oysters, and in great perfection, much better, in my opinion, than in the Winter. Hares are also now good, and Buck Venison is still good. Turnips, Carrots, Cabbages, Caulyflowers, Artichokes, Melons, Cucumbers, and such like, are in prime; Sallary and Endive, Nasturtium Indicum Flowers, Cabbage Lettice, and blanch'd sweet Fennel is now good for Sallads. Peas and Beans, and Kidney-beans, are likewise to be met with, so that a Country Gentleman and Farmer may have every thing at home, and let out a Table fit for a Prince, without being beholden to the Markets; and the great variety of Fruits which this Season produces, renders it still more delightful and profitable.

Now Elder-berries are ripe and fit for making of Wine, as well the white as the red sort: these are both very good, if they are rightly managed. The following drinks very much like the French Wine call'd Hermitage, and is full as strong.



To make red Elder Wine.

Take twenty Pounds of Malaga Raisins pick'd and rubb'd clean, but not wash'd; shred them small, and steep them in five Gallons of Spring Water, putting the Water cold to them, and stirring them every day; then pass the Liquor thro' a Hair Sieve, pressing the Raisins with your Hands, and have in readiness six Pints of the Juice of Elder-Berries that have been first pick'd from the Stalks, and then drawn by boiling the Berries in a glaz'd Earthen Pot, set in a Pan of Water over the Fire. Put this Juice cold into the Liquor, stirring it well together, and then tunning it in a Vessel that will just hold it, and let it stand six Weeks or two Months in a warm place; then bottle it, and it will keep a Year if the Bottles are well stopp'd. Note, that the Elder-Berries must be full ripe, and gather'd in a dry day; and when you have tunn'd your Wine, let the place where you set it be warm and dry, where no external Air is admitted, that it may ferment or work duly, for that is a material point. If it be otherwise disposed, so that it stands in a place which is subject to Heats and Cold, the Ferment will stop upon Cold, or be too violent upon Heats; but in cold Weather put some Straw about it. See more of the working of Liquors in March, in the Article of Brewing, and likewise take care that your Bottles are dry when you bottle your Wine, and that you have good Corks; take care likewise that your Wine be clear before you bottle it, or it will be good for nothing. If this Wine be rightly managed according to the above Directions, it will be fit for drinking after it has been bottled a Month.

In the making of white Elder-Wine, there is no difference if you make it with Raisins; but it is much the best, in my Opinion, if you make it with Sugar after the following manner: only it is to be consider'd, that white Elder-Berries are yet very scarce, and there must be more of them used in the Sugar Wine than in the Raisin Wine.



To make white Elder-Wine, or red Elder-Wine, with Sugar.

Gather the Elder-Berries ripe and dry, pick them, bruise them with your Hands, and strain them; then set the Liquor by in glaz'd earthen Vessels for twelve hours to settle, then put to every pint of Juice a pint and half of Water, and to every Gallon of this Liquor put three Pounds of Lisbon Sugar: set this in a Kettle over the Fire, and when it is ready to boil, clarify it with the Whites of four or five Eggs; let it boil an hour, and when it is almost cold, work it with some strong Ale-Yeast, and then tun it, filling up the Vessel from time to time with the same Liquor saved on purpose, as it sinks by working. In a Month's time, if the Vessel holds about eight Gallons, it will be fine and fit to bottle, and after bottling, will be fit to drink in two Months: but remember, that all Liquors must be fine before they are bottled, or else they will grow sharp and ferment in the Bottles, and never be good for any thing.

N.B. Add to every Gallon of this Liquor a Pint of strong Mountain Wine, but not such as has the Borachio or Hogskin flavour. This Wine will be very strong and pleasant, and will keep several Years.

We must prepare our Red Elder-Wine in the same manner that we make with Sugar, and if our Vessel hold about eight or ten Gallons, it will be fit for Bottling in about a Month; but if the Vessel be larger, it must stand longer in proportion, three or four Months at least for a Hogshead.

This Month Barberries are ripe and fit for pickling; they make a pretty Garnish, and are prepared as follows.



To pickle Barberries, or Pipperages, as call'd in some places.

Gather your Barberries in dry Weather, and lay them in their Bunches into an earthen glazed Pot, then boil a quantity of Water made strong with Salt, scumming it as it rises, and let it stand to be quite cold; then pour it upon the Barberries, so as to cover them an Inch, and cover it close. Some use half Vinegar and half Water for this Pickle, but it is at every one's pleasure, I think one is as good as the other.

Partridges are now in Season, and are prepared after several manners; some of the principal are the following.



Boil'd Partridges with stew'd Sallary, from Lady W———.

The Partridges being clean'd and trussed, boil them tender, and make the following Sauce for them. Take half a score large Sallary Plants that are well whiten'd or blanched, boil them first in Water and Salt, and then stew them tender with Gravey, Salt, some Pepper, and a Spoonful or two of White wine; and when they are enough, thicken and brown the Sauce they are stew'd in with burnt Butter, lay your Sallary at the bottom of the Dish, and your Partridges upon that, then pour your Sauce over all, and garnish with Lemmon or Orange slic'd. This is the method of stewing Sallary, which is an agreeable Plate of itself.

From the same Lady I had the following Directions for roasted Partridges: Partridges which are designed for roasting may be larded with fine Bacon Fat on the Breast, or roasted without larding; but in a Dish of these Fowls, there should be some of one and some of the other. The Sauce for them should be of two sorts, one of Gravey in the Dish with them, and the other of Bread in Saucers on the sides of the Dish. The Gravey is made of Beef, an Onion, a Bunch of sweet Herbs, some Salt and Pepper, stew'd half an hour together, in a little more Water than will cover them, then strain off the Liquor into the Dish.

The Pap-Sauce, or Bread-Sauce, is made of grated Crumb of Bread, boiled with as much Water as will cover it, a little Butter, an Onion, and some whole Pepper; this must be kept stirring often, and when it is very thick, withdraw the Onion, and serve it in a Saucer with your Partridges. These Sauces may likewise be served with Pheasants, or Quails. These may also be stew'd, farced, baked, or put in Soups, or used in Fricassees. Thus far the Lady.

Hares begin now to be in Season, and are well dress'd by the following Receipt, which I purchased a few Years ago, at a noted Tavern in London.



A Hare and its Sauces.

If you kill a Hare by Coursing, you may keep it if the Weather be cool three days before you roast it; or if it has been run hard by the Hounds, then it will not keep so long. When the Skin is taken off, it is the fashion to leave the Ears on, but that is at pleasure; then truss it for Roasting, and take the Liver and boil it, and mince it very small; add to this grated Bread, a little All-Spice, but fine, some butter'd Eggs, a little dry'd sweet Marjoram, with a Seasoning of Pepper and Salt at discretion, and some Parsley shred small: Mix this well together, and add the Yolk of an Egg to it to bind it; then fill the Body of the Hare moderately with this Farce, and sew up the Belly. When the Hare is first laid down to the fire, put about three pints of Water with an Onion, some Salt and whole Pepper, in the Dripping-pan, and baste the Hare with this till it is near roasted enough, and baste it with a piece of fat burning Bacon, or in the place of that, common Butter; but the Bacon is best, if the Person knows how to use it. When it is enough, pour the following Sauce into the Dish with it: Take the Liquor, with the Onion and Pepper in the Dripping-pan, out before you baste the Hare with Butter or Bacon, and boil it with a glass of Claret; it will be very rich when it comes to be mixt with the Farce out of the Belly of the Hare, and is little trouble. You may thicken this with a little Butter and Flower, if you please.

The following is also a very good one: Take a pound of lean Beef, boil it in about three pints of Water with an Onion, a Bunch of sweet Herbs, some All-spice, Pepper and Salt, till the Beef is boil'd half enough; then cut the Beef in several places to let out the Gravey, and continue to boil all those till the Liquor has lost a third part; then add a little Claret to it, and strain the Liquor through a Sieve, pouring the Gravey hot into the Dish before you put the Hare in it; and when you lay in the Hare, cut away the part that was sew'd up, or take away the thread that sew'd it. Some chuse to skewer up the Belly of the Hare, rather than sew it. You may serve this with Lemmon sliced, and in a plate by it have the following Sauce.



Sweet Venison Sauce.

Take half a pint of Claret, a little Stick of Cinnamon, and boil them together till the Flavour of the Cinnamon is in the Claret; then sweeten it to your mind with double-refined Loaf-sugar. Or else,

Grate some Crumb of Bread, and put to it as much Claret as will make it like thin Pap; add to this a small piece of Cinnamon, and boil it well, then sweeten it with double-refined Loaf-sugar grated small. These are the sweet Sauces used for Hare, and all other Venison.



To dress a Hare with White or Brown Sauce, from the late curious Mr. Harrison of Henley upon Thames.

Cut your Hare in four or eight pieces, and slit the Head; fry it a little in Hog's Lard, and then put it to stew in an earthen glazed Vessel, with Gravey, half a pint of White-wine, Pepper, Nutmeg, Salt, a bunch of sweet Herbs, and a slice or two of Lemmon-Peel; keep this close covered, and stew it gently till 'tis tender, then strain off the Sauce, and brown it with fry'd Flower, or burnt Butter: pour the Sauce hot over the Hare, and serve it With a Garnish of Lemmon in Slices; but if you would have your Sauce of brighter Colour, instead of the burnt Butter, or fry'd Flower, thicken it with the Yolks of three or four Eggs. This is an excellent way of dressing a Hare, and more generally admired than any other.

This being the Season for taking Honey, I shall here set down the Method of making of Mead, after two ways, which are both extraordinary.



To make Mead, from Lady G.

Take eight Gallons of Water, and as much Honey as will make it bear an Egg; add to this the Rind of six Lemmons, and boil it well, scumming it carefully as it rises. When 'tis off the Fire, put to it the Juice of the six Lemmons, and pour it into a clean Tub, or open earthen Vessel, if you have one large enough, to work three Days; then scum it well, and pour off the clear into the Cask, and let it stand open till it has done making a hissing Noise; after which, stop it up close, and in three Months time it will be fine, and fit for bottling.



To make Hydromel, or Mead.

Take eight Gallons of Water, and as much Honey as will make the Water bear an Egg; put to this a quarter of a pound of Cloves tied in three or four pieces of Muslin or Linnen Cloth, and set it to boil till the Scum has done rising, scumming it as it rises; then take it off the Fire, and take out the Cloves, which may be wash'd and dry'd for other Uses, and pour your Mead into an open Tub to ferment for about three days, till the Violence of the Working is over; after which, scum it very well, and pour the clear into a Vessel, leaving the Bung open till it has done hissing, which you may know by holding your Ear close to it, for at a distance you can hardly discover it. When this hissing is over, stop it close, and let it stand three Months till it is fine, before you bottle it; remember in bottling this, as well as all other Liquors, that the Bottles must be clean, and perfectly dry, and that every Bottle be well cork'd. This will keep good several Years.