A single recipe can speak volumes
about an era and a way of life, and a country. Don’t believe me? Then convince
me that the following recipe speaks of anything other than life ("Upstairs" of
course) in Victorian England:
Beverage for the Pocket Flask.
Melt or dissolve by a gentle heat l oz. of black currant
jelly in pint of syrup; when cold, add the same quantity of rum. In summer the
above is best; for the winter months, do as follows :—Pick fine dry black
currants, put them into a stone jar, and then the jar in a saucepan of boiling
water till the juice is extracted; strain, and to every pint add ½ lb. of loaf
sugar; give one boil, and skim well; when cold add the same quantity of rum (or
gin, if you prefer it), shake well, and bottle.
The Country House: A Collection of Useful Information and Recipes … by I.E.B.C. (1866)
Need more convincing? The following recipes
are from the same source:
Shooting Drink.
Milk and whisky; quantity according
to taste, the less spirit the better. It is food and drink both.
Smokers' Drink.
No. 1.—Place a large tumbler before
you, put therein a coffee-cup of hot (very strong) Mocha coffee, pure, a piece
of sugar according to taste (it ought not to be too sweet), a handsome dash of
pure cognac, then fill the same up with pure cold water, and drink it after
stirring it well up.
No. 2.—Lemon and water, with or
without sugar.
Parting-Cup.
Put two or three slices of very
brown toast in a bowl; grate over the same a little nutmeg; then pour in a
quart of ale (milk preferable) and two-thirds of a bottle of sherry; sweeten
with syrup, and (immediately before drinking) add a bottle of soda-water; a
little clove or cinnamon may be added, if approved of.
The Country House is my new old cookery book crush, so be aware, I will be giving you a few more Upper Class Victorian Country treats over the next few days.
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