CORDIALS AND RESTORATIVES. 211 
in a large glass pounded ice, wine, and sugar, with slices of 
orange, or pineapple. 
Ratafia, deriving its name from the Malay “ Tafia,” a liqueur 
prepared from cane sugar syrup, is a sweet cordial flavoured 
with fruits, generally those yielding the essences of black 
currants, bitter almonds, or peach and cherry kernels. Ashton. 
in his Social Life in the Reign of Queen Anne, telling of a Lady 
at the Play, says: “It would make a man smile to behold her 
Figure in a front Box, where her twinkling eyes, by her afternoon 
Drams of Ratifee, and cold tea, sparkle more than her pendants.” 
Allspice (Pimento) is likewise popular as a warming cordial, 
having a sweet odour, and a grateful aromatic taste. The name 
is given because the berries afford in smell and taste a combination 
of cloves, juniper berries, cinnamon, and pepper. The special 
qualities of Pimento reside in the rind of its berries, and the tree 
is the Eugenia Pimento of Brazil. Pimento berries are put into 
curry powder, and are added to mulled wines; they are useful 
against flatulent indigestion, and as a carminative stimulant. 
Sack posset, an old American cordial (especially favoured 
at weddings), was made according to a familiar rhyme :-— 
“ From famed Barbadoes, on the Western Main 
Fetch sugar, half a pound: fetch sack from Spain, 
A pint: and from the East Indian Coast 
Nutmeg, the glory of our northern coast. 
O’er flaming coals together let them heat, 
Till the all-conquering sack dissolves the sweet. 
O’er such another fire set eggs, twice ten, 
New born from crowing cock and speckled hen ; 
Stir them with steady hand, and conscience pricking 
To see the untimely fate of twenty chicken. 
From shining shelf take down your brazen skillet ; 
A quart of milk from gentle cow will fill it. 
When boiled, and cooked, put milk and sack to egg, - 
Unite them firmly like the triple league ; 
Then, covered close, together let them dwell 
Till Miss twice sings ‘ You must not kiss and tell.’ 
Each lad and lass snatch up their murdering spoon 
And fall on fiercely like a starved dragoon.” 
Concerning Blackberry Cordial as an excellent restorative, 
mention has been already made here in high commendation 
thereof. 
Sweet Grapes, again, besides being of capital service for 
supplying warmth as combustion material by their ready-made 
sugar, are cordial by the essential flavours of the fruit, whilst 
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