Clove Cordial

Clove Cordial

From Culinaria: The Caribbean (1999):

Clove Cordial Taken from Mistress Margaret Dodd's 1833 edition of The Cook & Housewife's Manual: Take of bruised cloves and cassia buds* a quarter of an ounce (7.5 grams) each, and a dozen Jamaica peppercorns (allspice). Infuse the spices in hot water and keep the bottle by the fire, close stopped, for a night or two. Strain this to 3 pints (1.5 litres) of proof spirit, and add syrup to taste. Filter, and colour with burnt sugar, or a bit of cochineal. Mace or nutmeg, bruised, may be added to clove cordial. It is grateful and tonic.

*Ron's Note: Cassia buds are the dried, un-opened flowers of the Cassia tree, which is the most common source of cinnamon bark for US consumption. They resemble cloves, but have a distinctive, cinnamony flavour enhanced by floral notes. You can find more information on cassia buds here:

https://www.spiceography.com/cassia-buds/

Here is one source for cassia buds, if you would like to try this:

https://www.thespicehouse.com/cassia-buds

I didn't realise this at the time I read it, but products similar to this are still produced commercially. Here is one example:

http://www.murraybreweries.com.au/cordial_cloves.htm