48. To candy GINGER.
Take the thickest races of ginger, put them them in an earthen pot, and cover them with river water; put fresh water to them every day for a fortnight; then tie the ginger in a cloth, and boil it an hour in a large pan of water; scrape off the brown rind, and cut the inside of the races as broad and thin as you can, one pound of ginger will take three pounds of loaf sugar; beat and searce the sugar, and put a layer of the thin-slic’d ginger, and a layer of searc’d sugar into an earthen bowl, having sugar at the top; stir it well every other day for a fortnight, then boil it over a little charcoal; when it is candy-height take it out of the pan as quick as you can with a spoon, and lie it in cakes on a board; when near cold take them off and keep them dry.
49. To preserve WINE-SOURS.
Take wine-sours and loaf sugar an equal weight, wet the sugar with water; the white of one egg will fine four pounds of sugar, and as the scum rises throw on a little water; then take off the pan, let it stand a little to settle and skim it; boil it again while any scum rises; when it is clear and a thick syrrup, take it off, and let it stand till near cold; then nick the plumbs down the seam, and let them have a gentle heat over the fire; take the plumbs and syrrup and let them stand a day or two, but don’t cover them; then give them another gentle heat; let them stand a day longer, and heat them again; take the plumbs out out and drain them, boil the syrrup and skim it well, then put the syrrup on the winesours, and when cold, put them into bottles or pots, tie a bladder close over the top, so keep them for use.
50. CURRAN JELLY.
Take eight pounds of ripe, pick’d fruit, put these into three pounds of sugar boil’d candy height, and so let these simmer till the jelly will set; then run it off clear thro’ a flannel bag, and glass it up for use. This never looks blue, nor skims half so much, as the other way.
51. To preserve red or white CURRANS whole.
Pick two pounds of currans from the stalks, then take a pound and a half of loaf sugar, and wet it in half a pint of curran juice, put in the berries, and boil them over a slow fire till they are clear; when cold put them in small berry bottles, with a little mutton suet over them.
52. SYRRUP OF POPPIES.
Take two pounds of poppy flowers, two ounces of raisins, shred them, and to every pound of poppies put a quart of boiling water, half an ounce of sliced liquorice, and a quarter of an ounce of anniseeds; let these stand twelve hours to infuse, then strain off the liquor, and put it upon the same quantity of poppies, raisins, liquorice, and anniseeds as before, and let this stand twelve hours to infuse, which must be in a pitcher, set within a pot or pan of hot water; then strain it, and take the weight in sugar, and boil it to a syrrup: when it is cold, bottle it.