Danger! Men Cooking!: Vinegars -- Recipes from the 1890s.
Vinegars -- Recipes from the 1890s.
press out the residue, filter the vinegar, and put it up in bottles.
Tarragon vinegar. Pick the young tender leaves of dragon's-wort (Artemisia dracunculus) when the first flower-buds appear. Bruise the leaves, place them in a suitable vessel, pour good wine-vinegar over them, and let the whole stand for a few days. Then strain the vinegar through a cloth, filter and bottle. The bottles must be filled entirely full, as otherwise the vinegar will not keep.
Compound tarragon vinegar.—Comminute leaves of dragon's-wort 100 parts, common bean leaves 25, leaves of basil and marjoram each 12½, bay leaves and orris root each 25, cloves 3⅓, cinnamon 6½, and shallots 25. Put all in a suitable vessel, pour 700 to 750 parts of pure, strong vinegar over it, let it stand in a warm place and digest 5 or 6 days, frequently agitating it. Then strain the vinegar through linen, press out the residue, add 25 parts of alcohol, and filter. Keep the vinegar in well-corked bottles in a cool, dark place.
Effervescing vinegar.—Dissolve 500 parts of loaf sugar in 5000 parts of water, add lemon juice and rind cut up in the proportion of 1 lemon to 1 lb. of sugar, parts of the best cinnamon, and 12 parts of beer yeast thoroughly washed. Place the whole in a barrel, and after agitating it thoroughly let it ferment at a temperature of 55° to 60° F. When fermentation has ceased the vinous fluid is strained and mixed with 1000 parts of best wine vinegar, previously boiled up, and yeast in the proportion of 1 teaspoonful to 5 lbs. of sugar. The fluid is then distributed in several earthenware pots and exposed to a temperature of 77° to 88° F. until it has been converted into strong vinegar. This, while remaining in the pots, is mixed with 200 parts of French brandy and after two days bottled in small bottles. To each pound of this vinegar are added ⅖ part of crystallized tartaric acid, pulverized, and ½ part of bicarbonate of soda. The bottles, as soon as the respective portion of the mixture has been added to each, must be corked as quickly as possible and then stored in a cool place.
Herb vinegar.—Chop fine the leaves of marjoram and thyme each 13⅓ parts, common bean leaves 6½, leaves of mint, basil, and celery each 3⅓, and fresh shallots 1½. Pour 600 or 700 parts of good vinegar over the herbs and treat in the same manner as given for compound tarragon vinegar.
Pine-apple vinegar. — This excellent vinegar soon loses its flavor, and it is therefore best to prepare a small quantity at a time and keep in bottles closed air-tight. Bruise the slices of pine-apple and pour over them a consider able quantity of vinegar. Close the vessel air-tight and let it stand 12 hours; then pour off the vinegar and filter.
Celery vinegar.—Celery seed 4½ ozs., vinegar 1 pint. Digest 14 days ; filter.
Clove vinegar.—Cloves 3½ ozs., vinegar 1 pint. Digest 7 days and strain.
Mustard vinegar. —Black mustard seeds 2 ozs., vinegar 1 pint. Digest one week and filter.
Lovage vinegar.—Lovage root 2 ozs., lovage seed 1 oz., vinegar 10 ozs. Digest one week and filter.
"washed beer yeast" may be obtained from a local home beer brewing club. Bean leaves would be any edible string or green bean.