The frugal housewife; or, experienced cook : wherein the art of dressing all sorts of viands with cleanliness, decency, and elegance is explained in five hundred approved receipts ... / originally written by Susanna Carter, but now improved by an experienced cook in one of the principal taverns in the city of London.
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Distilling.
OBSERVATIONS ON DISTILLING.
If your still be limbec, when you set it ou fill the top
with cold water, and make a little paste of flour and
water, and close the bottom of your still well with it,
and take great care that your fire is not too hot to
make it boil over, for that will weaken the strength of
your water; you must change the water on the top of
your still often, and never let it be scalding hot, and
your still will drop gradually off; if you use a hot still,
when you put on the top dip a cloth in white lead and
oil, and lay it well over the edges of your still, and a
coarse wet cloth over the top: it requires a little fire
under it, but you must take care that you keep it very
clear; when your cloth is dry, dip it in cold water and
lay it on again; and if your still be hot, wet another
cloth and lay it round the top, and keep it of a mo-
derate heat, so that your water is cold when it comes
off the still. If you use a worm-still, keep your water
in the tub full to the top, and change the water often,
to prevent it from growing hot; observe to let all simple
waters stand two or three days before you work it, to
take off the fiery taste ofthe still.
TO DISTIL PEPPERMINT WATER.
Get your peppermint when it is full grown, and before
it seeds; cut it in short lengths ; fill your still with it,
and put it half full of water ; then make a good fire un-
der it, and when it is nigh boiling, and the still begins
to drop, if your fire be too hot, draw a little out from
under it, as you see it requires, to keep it from boiling
over, or your water will be muddy ; the slower your
still drops, the water will be the clearer and stronger,
but do not spend it too far ; the next day bottle it, and
let it.stand three or four days, to take off the fire of the
still; then cork it well, and it will keep a long time.
TO DISTIL ELDER-FLOWERS.
Get your elder-flowers when they are in full bloom,
shake the blossoms off, and to every peck of flowers put