Either of these Kinds of Grapes will make very fine Ratafia; but which ever of them are chosen, they must be picked from the Stalks, and only the finest Berries made use of. The Stones must also be picked out; for if they are bruised with the Berries, the fine Flavour of the Juice will be greatly diminished.
When you have picked the Grapes from the Stalks, and taken out the Stones, press out the Juice, and filtrate it through a Flannel Bag. Then add the Quantity of Sugar and Spirit, and flavour it to your mind with a Spirit distilled from Spices, in the manner explained below.
The general Proportion of Sugar and Spirit, is, to twenty Pints of the Juice, five Pounds and a Half of Sugar, ten Pints of Spirit, and what Quantity you please of the spicy Spirit.
To make the spicy Spirit, take of Mace one Pound, Nutmegs four Ounces, Spirit three Gallons, and draw off the whole in Balneum Mariæ.
By the same Method you may make red Ratafia from the red Frontiniac; except that the Grapes, when bruised, must be suffered to ferment three or four Days, before the Juice is pressed out; because the Colour, which resides principally in the Skins of the Grapes, will, by that means, be extracted.
The Berries of the red Muscat, or red Frontiniac, are about the Size of those of the white; but grow much thinner on the Bunches. This Grape, when thoroughly ripe, has the richest and highest Flavour of any yet known; but it must have a dry Soil and a South Aspect, otherwise it seldom ripens well in England. Besides the above Grape, there is another called by some red Muscat of Alexandria, and by others red Jerusalem Muscat. This is not quite so late in ripening as the white Muscat of Alexandria above described; and for that reason more esteemed. The Berries of this Kind are not quite so large as those of the white, but of the same Form, and equal in Goodness.
5. Of Ratafia from Peaches.
The Ratafia made from the Peach is the finest and richest Flavour of any made from stoned Fruits. It is however necessary to gather the Peach when thoroughly ripe, but, at the same time not to suffer it to hang too long on the Tree: For as, on the one hand, it will not acquire its delicious Flavour and Smell till thoroughly ripe, so, on the other, it will lose both if suffered to hang on the Tree, after it has attained to a full Maturity. Another necessary Caution is, to gather it in fine warm Weather, and near the Middle of the Day; because then both the Flavour and Smell are in the greatest Perfection.
It is also requisite to make Choice of the proper Sorts of Peaches; for there is a remarkable Difference in the Flavour of these Fruits. Gardeners reckon above thirty Sorts of Peaches, but not more than half that number are proper for making Ratafia. I shall therefore give a short Description of those that are most proper, that the young Distiller may not be disappointed in making Ratafia from Peaches.
1. The early Purple (called by the French La Pourprée hâtive.) This Tree hath smooth Leaves: The Flowers large, and open: The Fruit is large, round, and of a fine red Colour: The Flesh is white, but very red at the Stone; very full of Juice, which has a rich vinous Flavour. This Peach is ripe about the Middle of August.