This mode consists merely in putting into a glass of water slightly sweetened with grape syrup, a table spoonful of the juice of preserved currant, or of any other fruit that may be at hand, which is poured into another glass and then drank off. This mode is the more convenient, because it will be always easy to have these preserved juices at hand, or to procure them at a small expence. In this way my family has been, for the space of fifteen years, in the habit of making use of currant juice; and most frequently we prepare this substitute for lemonade, without either sugar or syrup.
§ LIV.
Ices.
I have prepared and made, in the mode usually employed in the fruit season, ices of currants, raspberries, apricots, and peaches, as well as strawberries, preserved in the manner pointed out by me.
I made these experiments before the late improvement in the art of making grape syrup, but now that this production has been brought nearly to perfection, the syrup of the acid grape manufactured by Mr. Privat of Meze, will soon advantageously supply the place of the juice of the sugar cane, in the preparation of the ices of fruit. As I have already observed, the grape syrup preserves the aroma of all fruits better than sugar. Sugar overpowers to so great a degree the taste of the fruits, that it is necessary to add some lemons to the ices of fruits, in order, as it were, to bring out the aroma. When therefore the juice of an acid grape shall be made use of, the lemons will become unnecessary, and the ices of fruit will be the richer. The sweet syrups of the grape will be successfully made use of with all ice-creams.
§ LV.
Cordials.
(Liqueurs.)
I have composed liqueurs and ratafies with the juice of preserved fruits and sweetened with grape syrup. These preparations yielded in nothing to the best home-made liqueurs.
The simple and easy modes which I have pointed out, of preparing every kind of preserved fruit for daily use, prove sufficiently that this method, as sure as it is useful, will introduce the greatest economy in the consumption of the produce of the sugar-cane. The consumer, and more especially the manufacturer, who is obliged to lay in during summer, a considerable stock of this foreign commodity for syrups, liqueurs and confectionary, as well as all the objects of pharmacy, may dispense with it; for it will be sufficient if they lay in an adequate stock of fruit in the season, and prepare it in the manner pointed out, to be exempt from the necessity of preparing it with sugar, except on an emergency, and in the quantities actually wanted. It will follow that the greater part of all these fruits will be preserved, altogether without, or at least with a small quantity of sugar; that many of them will be prepared with grape syrup, and that the sugar from the cane will be made use of only for indispensable objects, or to comply with the old habits, and gratify the luxury of a few.