In this Month there are many Delicacies about a Country Seat; all kinds of Pond-Fish are good, there is plenty of Poultry of all kinds, wild and tame, except the Water-Fowl, which should yet remain untouch'd. Turkey Poults, Pheasant Poults, Partridges, and some sort of Pigeons, are good; but for the most part the Dove-cote Pigeons are distemper'd, and are now full of Knots in their Skins, and unwholesome. The Eggs of Fowls likewise at this Season, as well as in the former Month, are unhealthful. Towards the end, Pork comes again in Season, and young Pigs also are pretty plentiful; 'tis a good time likewise to save young Pigs to grow up for now you may turn them with their Dams into the Stubbles, and soon after into the Woods. About the end of this Month, you have Rabbets full grown in common Warrens, and young wild Ducks; and those who live near the Sea, have plenty of Oysters, and in great perfection, much better, in my opinion, than in the Winter. Hares are also now good, and Buck Venison is still good. Turnips, Carrots, Cabbages, Caulyflowers, Artichokes, Melons, Cucumbers, and such like, are in prime; Sallary and Endive, Nasturtium Indicum Flowers, Cabbage Lettice, and blanch'd sweet Fennel is now good for Sallads. Peas and Beans, and Kidney-beans, are likewise to be met with, so that a Country Gentleman and Farmer may have every thing at home, and let out a Table fit for a Prince, without being beholden to the Markets; and the great variety of Fruits which this Season produces, renders it still more delightful and profitable.
Now Elder-berries are ripe and fit for making of Wine, as well the white as the red sort: these are both very good, if they are rightly managed. The following drinks very much like the French Wine call'd Hermitage, and is full as strong.
To make red Elder Wine.
Take twenty Pounds of Malaga Raisins pick'd and rubb'd clean, but not wash'd; shred them small, and steep them in five Gallons of Spring Water, putting the Water cold to them, and stirring them every day; then pass the Liquor thro' a Hair Sieve, pressing the Raisins with your Hands, and have in readiness six Pints of the Juice of Elder-Berries that have been first pick'd from the Stalks, and then drawn by boiling the Berries in a glaz'd Earthen Pot, set in a Pan of Water over the Fire. Put this Juice cold into the Liquor, stirring it well together, and then tunning it in a Vessel that will just hold it, and let it stand six Weeks or two Months in a warm place; then bottle it, and it will keep a Year if the Bottles are well stopp'd. Note, that the Elder-Berries must be full ripe, and gather'd in a dry day; and when you have tunn'd your Wine, let the place where you set it be warm and dry, where no external Air is admitted, that it may ferment or work duly, for that is a material point. If it be otherwise disposed, so that it stands in a place which is subject to Heats and Cold, the Ferment will stop upon Cold, or be too violent upon Heats; but in cold Weather put some Straw about it. See more of the working of Liquors in March, in the Article of Brewing, and likewise take care that your Bottles are dry when you bottle your Wine, and that you have good Corks; take care likewise that your Wine be clear before you bottle it, or it will be good for nothing. If this Wine be rightly managed according to the above Directions, it will be fit for drinking after it has been bottled a Month.
In the making of white Elder-Wine, there is no difference if you make it with Raisins; but it is much the best, in my Opinion, if you make it with Sugar after the following manner: only it is to be consider'd, that white Elder-Berries are yet very scarce, and there must be more of them used in the Sugar Wine than in the Raisin Wine.
To make white Elder-Wine, or red Elder-Wine, with Sugar.
Gather the Elder-Berries ripe and dry, pick them, bruise them with your Hands, and strain them; then set the Liquor by in glaz'd earthen Vessels for twelve hours to settle, then put to every pint of Juice a pint and half of Water, and to every Gallon of this Liquor put three Pounds of Lisbon Sugar: set this in a Kettle over the Fire, and when it is ready to boil, clarify it with the Whites of four or five Eggs; let it boil an hour, and when it is almost cold, work it with some strong Ale-Yeast, and then tun it, filling up the Vessel from time to time with the same Liquor saved on purpose, as it sinks by working. In a Month's time, if the Vessel holds about eight Gallons, it will be fine and fit to bottle, and after bottling, will be fit to drink in two Months: but remember, that all Liquors must be fine before they are bottled, or else they will grow sharp and ferment in the Bottles, and never be good for any thing.
N.B. Add to every Gallon of this Liquor a Pint of strong Mountain Wine, but not such as has the Borachio or Hogskin flavour. This Wine will be very strong and pleasant, and will keep several Years.
We must prepare our Red Elder-Wine in the same manner that we make with Sugar, and if our Vessel hold about eight or ten Gallons, it will be fit for Bottling in about a Month; but if the Vessel be larger, it must stand longer in proportion, three or four Months at least for a Hogshead.
This Month Barberries are ripe and fit for pickling; they make a pretty
Garnish, and are prepared as follows.