More Good Housekeeping During 1944

Winter is the time of promise because there is so little to do-or because you can now and then permit yourself the luxury of thinking so. ~Stanley Crawford

Last week I shared lunch ideas from my copy of The Good Housekeeping Cook Book, today I wanted to share beverage ideas. Remember, 1944 was near the end of WWII, so can you imagine how strapped for cash and stressed out everyone must have been? I like thinking of what was happening during the time period of vintage cookbooks while I'm reading them over.

When Sugar Is Scarce

To help you save sugar when scarce, many of the drink recipes in this chapter include directions for replacing part of the sugar with white or dark corn syrup. In using honey for sugar, try substituting 3/4-1 cup of honey for each 1 cup of granulated sugar. If too sweet or not sweet enough, adjust the amount to suit taste.

Dinner Punch

1 cup hot tea
1 tbsp. minced mint
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup Sugar Syrup *see below
few grains salt
Rind 1 cucumber, cut in long strips
1 1/2 cups grape juice
1 12 ounce bottle ginger ale (1 1/2 cups)
1 12 bottle carbonated water
Ice
Orange and lemon slices

Pour the hot tea over the mint. Add lemon juice, syrup, salt and cucumber rind. Let stand until cool, then strain and chill. Just before serving, add grape juice, ginger ale and water. Pour into a pitcher half full of ice. Garnish with fruit slices and mint if desired. Makes 6 1/2 cups before adding ice.

Sugar Syrup

3 cups granulated sugar
3 cups water

Combine the sugar and water and bring to a boil, while stirring until sugar is dissolved. Cover and boil five minutes, without stirring. Cool. Pour into clean jar, cover, and store in the refrigerator for future use in beverages. Makes about 4 1/3 cups sugar syrup.

Orange Lime Fizz

2 cups orange juice
1/2 cup granulated sugar
12 sprigs mint. chopped
4 tbsp. lime juice
1 12 ounce bottle chilled carbonated water
Ice

Heat 1 cup of orange juice to the boiling point. Add the sugar and mint. Cool, covered; then strain, and add remaining 1 cup orange juice and the lime juice. Just before serving, add the carbonated water and ice. Makes 3 3/4 before adding ice.

Raspberry Mint Cooler

1 cup raspberry jam
3/4-1 cup minced fresh mint
4 cups water
1/2 cup lemon juice

Combine jam, mint and 2 cups of the water. Boil 3 minutes. Let stand 1 1/2 hrs. Strain. Add lemon juice and remaining 2 cups water. Carbonated water may be substituted if desired for the regular water. Serve well iced. Serves 4.

~Brenda