Part 3

The candle-nut, used as a relish and somewhat resembling a green walnut, is the fruit of a tropical tree. It is chopped fine, packed in jars, or bottled, with salt added. As a relish it is highly prized, specially by the natives of the Sandwich Islands.

Flavors are used almost entirely in the making of sweetmeats, candies and pastry. Vanilla is perhaps the most choice, being invariably used in the preparation of chocolate and cocoa for the market. The vanilla vine is an orchid, native to Central America, and cultivated in South America, the West Indies, Mexico, and upon the islands of the Indian and southern Pacific oceans. The vanilla of commerce is made from the delicate, volatile oil extracted from the seed-pods. These are several inches in length and great care is exerted in curing that the flavor be not destroyed. The curing process occupies about six months. The vanilla plant bears fruit when about three years old, remaining productive for thirty or forty years. The best vanilla is exported from Mexico, while that from Brazil is of an inferior quality.

The Tonka bean, called also Tongua and Tonquin bean, is frequently sold as a substitute for or adulterant of vanilla. It belongs to the _leguminosæ_, producing thick, short pods from which an oil, resembling vanilla, is extracted. The tree is common in British Guiana and the tropics and grows to an immense size. It is much cheaper commercially than vanilla.

The extract of bitter almond consists of a tincture made from the kernel of the nut. The tree of the bitter almond originated, it is believed, in Prussia, although now growing wild in southern Europe. The flavor obtained from the kernel is due to the prussic acid developed in the process of making the tincture. A similar flavor exists in the kernel and leaves of the peach, a tree allied botanically to the almond. Flavoring extracts are also made from the orange, lemon, strawberry, and other fruits. They are also produced chemically, as many alleged fruit-flavors found upon the market prove, from the coal-tar products.

The pistachio or pistache nut is particularly liked by confectioners because of its delicate flavor, resembling that of the almond. It is the kernel of a pine-tree, is small and of a light green color. It is native to Europe and the far East.

Cordials or _liqueurs_ are used both for flavoring pastries and ices and, in the way of beverages, as aids to the digestion. In the latter case they are taken in very small quantities just at the close of a meal.

Curaçoa is one of the most celebrated of cordials. It was originally made in the island of Curaçoa, whence its name, and is prepared from limes, orange peel and spices. It is still an important source of revenue to its native island.

Noyau is a _liqueur_ made from brandy, flavored with bitter almond.

Ratafia is a _liqueur_ similar to Curaçoa and noyau, which is flavored with peach and almond extracts and spiced.

Anisette and kümmel have been already mentioned, the former a cordial made by the French and Italians and flavored with aniseed; the latter, a German and Russian _liqueur_, flavored with kümmel or caraway seed.

Absinthe is a bitter and aromatic cordial, the bitterness being due to the use of wormwood in its preparation. It is particularly pernicious and treacherous to use if taken before meals, as is often the custom, instead of afterward. It is largely used by the French.

Maraschino is an aromatic cordial, the flavor of which is produced by the use of the bitter almond and the Italian cherry.

Chartreuse was originally prepared by the monks of a monastery of that name in France. For obvious reasons the Pope prohibited its manufacture by them in 1864 and the original receipt was lost. There are four kinds now made, of which the green is perhaps the most popular. Chartreuse possesses the fragrance of garden herbs, the aroma of various spices, flowers and nuts, and even the balsamy fragrance of the young, green tassel from the pine tree. These cordials are more largely used in France and Italy than anywhere else. Owing to a growing sentiment against their use, they are tolerated to only a limited extent in America although, because of their common use as flavorings, they are here mentioned.

Vegetable acids are also largely used for the flavoring of foods. One of the oldest known is verjuice, used by the ancients as a beverage. Its use in cookery is believed to have originated in mediæval France. It is made from the juice of crab-apples and of unripe grapes.

Vinegar is a developed acid. The word comes from the French _vin-aigre_, meaning sour wine. If simple cane sugar be mixed with water and some ferment, it will turn to grape sugar, then to alcohol, then to vinegar. However, the best vinegar now used is a fruit acid, either from apple or grape. It is also made from the red and white wines and from sour beer, the latter being known as malt vinegar. In England the law allows a percentage of sulphuric acid to be added to malt vinegar while in America both sulphuric and muriatic acids are considered adulterants. Vinegar is the one indispensable ingredient of pickles and various sauces as well as a valuable condiment.

Limes and lemons, similar fruits, contain large quantities of acid which is thoroughly wholesome and agreeable. To some extent these acids are displacing vinegar as condiments, being considered both more health giving and more palatable.

The most complete and instructive exhibition of condiments and spices ever given was held in the Agricultural Building during the World’s Columbian Exposition. The nations of all the earth contributed. There were capers and olives from Italy, spices from Java, chutney from Trinidad, Calcutta, and the far away island of Ceylon; ketchup from both England and America, cassareep and pickled limes from British Guiana, soy from China and Japan, and pickles from lands galore. The long, daintily curved, vanilla bean was exhibited side by side with its short, fat, plebeian looking adulterant, the tonka bean. Cordials were sent from every country exhibiting. There was in one portion of the building a small conservatory filled with growing spice plants, among them pimento, ginger, clove, nutmeg, pepper, cassia and cinnamon.

[Illustratio: A pot surrounded by flowers]

INDEX.

PAGE.

Absinthe, 40

Almond, 38

Allspice, 9

Anchovy Paste, 31

Anise, 14

Anisette, 40

Basil, 16

Bay Leaves, 18

Black Pepper, 12

Candle-Nut, 37

Capers, 25

Capsicum, _vide_ chili, 20

Carachi, 32

Caraway, 15

Cardamon, 11

Cassia, 8

Cassareep, 32

Catsup, _vide_ Ketchup

Cayenne, _vide_ Chili

Celery, 16

Chartreuse, 40

Chervil, 16

Chili, 29

Chutney, 32

Cinnamon, 7

Clove, 6

Condiments, antiquity of, 2; classification of, 3; digestive value of, 1; exhibition of, 41; mediæval use of, 3.

Coriander, 13

Cumin, 13

Curaçoa, 39

Curry, 26

Devonshire Sauce, 33

Dill, 15

Fennel, 17

Fenugreek, 14

Garlic, 23

Ginger, 29

Grains of Paradise, 14

Guinea Pepper, 30

Horse-Radish, 28

Ketchup, 33

Kümmel, 40

Leek, 23

Lemon, 41

Lime, 41

Lime-juice Sauce, 33

Long Pepper, 13

Mace, 11

Maraschino, 40

Mint, 20

Mixed Seasonings, 31

Mustard, 26

Noyau, 39

Nutmeg, 10

Olive, 36

Onion, 22

Parsley, 19

Penang Spices, 31

Pepper, 11

Pickles, 35

Pistache Nut, 39

Ratafia, 39

Safflower, 24

Saffron, 24

Sage, 20

Salad Dressings, 35

Salt, 5

Samphire, 36

Sauces, 32

Shallot, 24

Soy, 34

Star Anise, 15

Summer Savory, 19

Sweet Marjoram, 21

Tabasco Sauce, 35

Tarragon, 22

Thyme, 19

Tonka-bean, 38

Turmeric, 25

Vanilla, 37

Verjuice, 41

Vinegar, 41

Winter Savory, 19

Worcestershire Sauce, 33