Sassafras mead will be found a cheap, wholesome, and pleasant beverage for warm weather. The essence of sassafras, tartaric acid, and carbonate of soda, can of course all be obtained at the druggists'.
FINE TOMATA CATCHUP.—
Take a large quantity of tomatas, and scald and peel them. Press them through a fine hair-sieve, and boil the pulp in either a porcelain or a bell-metal preserving-kettle, as tin or iron will blacken it. Cover the kettle closely, and keep it at a slow boil during four hours. Then measure the pulp of the tomatas, and to every two quarts allow a tea-spoonful of salt. Boil it an hour after the salt is in, stirring it frequently. Have ready, in equal proportions, a mixture of powdered ginger, nutmeg, mace, and cloves; and to every two quarts of the liquid, allow a large tea-spoonful of these mixed spices, adding a small tea-spoonful of cayenne. Stir in this seasoning, and then boil the catchup half an hour longer. Strain it carefully into a large pitcher, avoiding the grounds or sediment of the spices, and then (while hot) pour it through a flannel into clean bottles. Cork them tightly, and seal the corks. Keep it in a dry, cool place. It will be of a fine scarlet colour.
GREEN TOMATA PICKLES.—
Slice a gallon of the largest green tomatas, and salt them over night to your taste. In the morning mix together a table-spoonful of ground black pepper; one of mace; one of cloves; four pods of red pepper, chopped fine; and half a pint of grated horse-radish. Mix them all thoroughly. Have ready a large, wide-mouthed stone jar; put into it first a layer of the seasoning, then a layer of tomatas, then another of seasoning, then another of tomatas, then another of seasoning, another of tomatas; and so on alternately till the jar is filled within two inches of the top, finishing with a layer of seasoning. Then fill up to the top with cold cider vinegar; adding at the last a table-spoonful of sweet oil. Cover the jar closely.
This will be found a very nice pickle, and is easily made, as it requires no cooking. After the tomatas are all gone, the liquid remaining in the jar may be used as catchup.
RED TOMATA PICKLES.—
Fill three quarters of a jar with small, round, button tomatas when quite ripe. Put them in whole, and then pour over them sufficient cold vinegar (highly flavoured with mace, cloves, and whole black pepper) to raise them to the top. Add a table-spoonful of sweet oil, and cover the jar closely.