Take of the black Heart Cherries twenty-four Pounds; black Cherries four Pounds; Rasberries and Strawberries, of each three Pounds: Pick these Fruits from their Stalks, and bruise them, in which Condition let them continue twelve Hours; press out the Juice, and, to every Pint of it add a Quarter of a Pound of Sugar. When the Sugar is dissolved run the whole through the filtrating Bag, and add to it three Quarts of clean Proof Spirits. Then take of Cinnamon four Ounces; of Mace an Ounce; and of Cloves two Drams. Bruise these Spices, put them into an Alembic with a Gallon of clean Proof Spirits and two Quarts of Water, and draw off a Gallon with a brisk Fire. Add as much of this spicy Spirit to your Ratafia as will render it agreeable to your Palate; about one fourth is the usual Proportion.
Ratafia made according to the above Recipe will be of a very rich Flavour, and elegant Colour. It may be rendered more or less of a spicy Flavour, by adding or diminishing the Quantity of Spirit distilled from the Spices.
Some in making Ratafia suffer the expressed Juices of their Fruits to ferment several Days; by this means the Vinosity of the Ratafia is increased; but, at the same time, the elegant Flavour of the Fruits greatly diminished. Wherefore if the Ratafia be desired stronger or more vinous, it may be done by adding more Spirits to the expressed Juice; by which means the Flavour of the Fruits may be preserved, as well as the Ratafia rendered stronger.
It is also a Method with some to tie the Spices in a Linen Rag, and suspend them in the Ratafia. But if this Method be taken it will be necessary to augment the Quantity of Spirit first added to the expressed Juice. There is no great Difference in the two Methods of adding the Spices, except that by suspending them in the Ratafia, the Liquor is generally rendered less bright and transparent.
There is also another Method practised in making Ratafia, which is this: Take the Quantity of Fruit proposed, bruise it, and immediately pour the Spirit on the Pulp. After standing a Day or two express the Juice and Spirit, filtrate it, and add the Sugar and Spices as before. But this Method requires more Spirit than the former, as it will be impossible to press it all out of the Skins and other Parts of the Fruit remaining after the Juice is extracted.
2. Of making fine and dry Ratafia from red Fruit.
Tho’ the Ratafia we have just mentioned will doubtless please the Palates of many People; yet there are others who would prefer a different Sort; it is therefore necessary to know how to make dry as well as sweet Ratafia, if we are desirous of pleasing all Sorts of Palates.
Dry Ratafia is prepared in the same manner as the preceding, but the Ingredients are different.
An equal Quantity of Cherries and Gooseberries are necessary in making dry or sharp Ratafia; because the Acidity of the Gooseberries gives the requisite Flavour to this Sort of Liquor. But, at the same time, care must be taken that the Gooseberries be fully ripe; for otherwise, tho’ Gooseberries are more acid before they are ripe than afterwards; yet that Acidity is not the Flavour desired; it is acerb and rough, and will render the Flavour of the Ratafia disagreeable. The same Observation holds good also with regard to the Cherries; they must be fully ripe as in making the soft Ratafia.
Instead of black Cherries used in the Composition of the preceding Ratafia, Mulberries should be used in this: The reason for this Change is, that the Juice of the black Cherry is more sweet and glutinous than that of the Mulberry, and therefore less fit for making dry Ratafia. But the Mulberries must be the ripest and blackest possible, in order to give the better Colour to the Liquor.