160 



measure, and boil for ten luiimtes, and then to every pint of tlie liquor add 

 half an ounce of black pepper, a quarter of an ounce of bruised ginger root, 

 a blade of mace, a clove ov two, and a teaspoonful of mustard seed. Boil 

 again for half an hour, put in two or three bay leaves, and set aside till 

 quite cold. Pass through a strainer, and bottle ; cork -well, and dip the ends 

 in resin. A veiy little Chili vinegar is an improvement, and some add a 

 glass of port wine or strong ale to every bottle. 



Care should bo taken that the spice is not added so abundantly as 

 to overpower the true flavour of the Agaric. A careful cook will keep back 

 a little of the simple boiled liquor to guard against this danger ; a good one 

 will always avoid it. "Doctors weigh their things," said a capital cook, 

 "but I go by taste." But then like poets, good cooks of tliis order must 

 be born bo, they are not to be made. 



