Gather Codlins green and near full grown, blanch them, that is, scald them
in soft Water till the Skin will peel off, then prepare your Pickle of
Vinegar and Bay Salt, about a large Spoonful of Salt to a Quart of Vinegar,
three or four Cloves of Garlick, a quarter of an Ounce of Ginger sliced,
and as much whole Pepper; boil this in a Brass Pan, with a piece of Allum
as big as a Horse-Bean, for half a quarter of an hour, and pour it hot upon
your Codlins, covering the Mouth of the Jar with a Cloth, and let it stand
by the Fire-side; boil the Pickle again the day following, and apply it as
before, and repeat the same till your Codlins are as green as you desire,
and when they are quite cold, cork them close, and set them by in a dry
place. There is one thing must however be observed in all these Picklings,
which is, that if the Pickles do not come to their fine green Colour
presently, by boiling often of the Pickle at first, yet by standing three
or four Weeks, and then boiling the Pickle afresh, they will come to a good
Colour; and then your Pickles will eat the firmer and keep the longer, when
they are not too soon brought to Colour.
In this Month we have the Morello and Black Cherry ripe, which both are
pleasant in Brandy; to those who would have Drams by them, the way of
making Black-Cherry Brandy, is only to pick the Cherries from the Stalks,
and put them whole into the Brandy, about a Pound of Cherries to a Quart;
this may remain for about a Month before it is fit to drink, and then the
Brandy may be pour'd from the Cherries, and the Cherries put then into a
Vessel of Ale will make it extremely strong, only about the proportion of a
Pound of Cherries to a Gallon of Ale; but some will put fresh Brandy to
them, and the Cherries will turn the Brandy of a deep Colour, and give it a
strong taste of Ratafia; others will distill these Cherries in a cold
Still, with as much Water as will cover them, and draw a fine Cordial from
them.
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