Stew'd Beef-Steaks. From the Spring-Gardens at Vaux-Hall, Surrey.
Take good Rump-Beef Steaks, and season them with Pepper and Salt; then lay them into the Pan, and pour in a little Water; then add a bunch of sweet Herbs a few Cloves, an Anchovy, a little Verjuice, an Onion, and a little Lemon-Peel, with a little bit of Butter, or fat Bacon, and a Glass of White Wine. Cover these close, and stew them gently, and when they are tender, pour away the Sauce, and strain it; then take out the Steaks, and flour them, and fry them; and when you put them in the Dish, thicken the Sauce, and pour it over them. This way was much approved.
To make Cologn's-Geneva. From Cologn.
Take good Brandy, one Gallon; then take two Pounds of Juniper-berries fresh gather'd, and full ripe. Press these till you perceive a greenish Liquor come from them; then put them into the Brandy, and let them remain about ten Days: then pour them through a Cloth of coarse Linnen, and squeeze it, and when you have the Liquor, if you find it too strong, you may add to it some more Brandy, and half a Pound of fine Sugar to a Gallon. Then put it in Flasks, or Bottles.
Then take the Pressings, and infuse them again in Brandy, for six or seven Days, and distil them. This they call double Cologn's Gin, and the best is sold in Holland, at three Shillings and Six-pence per Quart.
To make Scots-Snuff, or pure Tobacco-Snuff. From Mr. Hyslop.
Take the Leaves of good Tobacco, and spread them open; then dry them gently in the Sun, or before the Fire, and strip them from the Stalks; when the leafy part will crumble, between the Fingers; then put it into a Mill, and with a Pestle rolling about it, the Tobacco will presently be ground, as fine as Snuff; or else, if you have never a Mill, when your Tobacco will break between the Fingers, lay it on an oaken Table, and pass the flat side of a Knife over it, backwards and forwards, as if you was whetting it, pressing it hard, and you will make fine Snuff. This I mention here, because, sometimes, the Snuff-takers are without Snuff, and remote from any Place where it may be had, and would give any Money for it; which was my Case, when I learn'd this Receipt, and by the last Means was presently supplied: we may make it likewise of cut Tobacco dry'd before the Fire.
Or if we raise Tobacco in our Gardens, pick the Leaves from the Stalks, towards the Root, when they are full grown, tie six in a bunch together, and hang them up to dry in the Shade; then dip them in Water, or some Beer or Ale, and hang them up again to dry, and then press the Leaves one upon another, in their Bunches, in a Box or Tub, as hard as possible; and in a few Months time, they will make very good Snuff, being order'd as above directed.
Butter turned to Oil recovered. From Mrs. M. N.
There are some Lands, as well as some Treatments of Butter in the Dairy, that makes the Butter so very fat and greasy, that it is hard to melt, without running to Oil; while, on the other hand, there is a sort of Butter, which cuts as firm as Wax; and even this will sometimes turn to Oil in the melting, but very seldom. However, when it so happens, pour your oil'd Butter into a Porringer, and letting it stand a little, melt a little fresh, and as soon as it is liquid, pour into it, by gentle degrees, at times, some of the Butter that was oil'd before, keeping your Sauce-pan shaking all the while; and if you find it any way difficult to be recovered, pour in a little Milk, and shake them together, and it will recover. Memorandum, A Sauce-pan that is very thin at the Bottom is apt to oil Butter, let it be ever so good.