" 482 MEALS MEDICINAL. 
name, from the Angostura, or Cusparia febrifuga, other spices 
being added. This bark has a tonic operation without 
astringency, being of particular service in the typhoid state of 
fevers, and especially in tropical dysentery. It contains a volatile 
oil, resins, gum, salts, and cusparin, tannin not being present. 
The tree is found abundantly on the mountains near the Orinoko 
river. Angostura liqueur is now manufactured at Trinidad. 
The Table, an excellent culinary magazine, is astonished as to 
how the use of liqueurs has lately grown in this country. ‘‘ Time 
was when they were used only by a few ; but now every suburban 
householder offers them after dinner ; and at every luncheon and 
supper party the liqueurs make their appearance as a matter 
of course. Even ladies when lunching, or dining alone, regard 
their coffee and petit verre as quite a necessity. Nor is it the 
sweet variety only which they patronize; indeed, absinthe, 
and cognac are as much used as the sweet liqueurs. Benedictine, 
however, seems to be first favourite; also Chartreuse, and 
Kiimmel, are very popular, but there appears to be a general 
belief that the former of these two is on the decrease. Noyau is 
quite out of the running, though this was formerly by pre- 
eminence the ladies’ liqueur; but Curagoa, and créme de menthe 
have wholly taken its place, with them at least.” 
The Ratafias are liqueurs which have not been distilled, since, 
for obtaining the perfume, aroma, and colour of a fruit, its 
expressed juice may be best put into brandy, so as to fabricate the 
different ratafias ; and because the majority of these juices are full 
of water strong, brandy must be used. For a qualmish stomach 
disposed to nausea, and sickness, a ratafia pudding is usefully 
remedial. Butter a pie dish, and cover its bottom inside with 
ratafia biscuits in a single layer ; proceed in the same way with 
the sides of the dish, then over all strew some sponge-cake crumbs 
thickly. Beat an egg, mix it with two ounces of cake crumbs, 
and about an ounce of crushed ratafias ; make a pint of blanc- 
mange (using Bird’s powder, of noyau flavour); while it is hot 
beat it with the egg, presently pour into the dish, and after 1t 
has stood for a short time, bake it in a steady oven. When the 
pudding is turned out, garnish it on the top with small lumps of 
brightly coloured jelly, either raspberry, or red currant. If 
wishing to use a shallow dish, then reduce the quantities of cake 
crumbs, and of ratafias mixed in the blanc mange, to one fourth. 
Cook only long enough to set, and lightly brown the pudding. 
