Denis A. Wadey
Edenton, North Carolina

Editor’s note: Here is a common recipe for ginger beer that we hope will bring back some happy childhood memories.Do take note, however, as Mr. Wadey recalls, that fermentation creates intense pressure inside the bottles which couldcause them to explode. Make sure to use proper beer bottles with clip-on bottle seals or screw tops. Keep them in acardboard box and store them in a cool, dark place.

Ginger Beer

1 oz fresh root ginger, bruised
thinly pared rind and juice of 2 lemons
1 lb sugar
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 sachet dried beer yeast

Combine the ginger, lemon rind, sugar and cream of tartar in a suitable white brewing bucket with lid. Add 8 pints hot water. Stir gently until the sugar has dissolved, then leave to cool.

Add the lemon juice to the cooled liquid and sprinkle the yeast over the surface. Cover and leave in a warm place for 48 hours, skimming off the yeast head after 24 hours. When fermentation has finished, skim the surface again before bottling.

Thoroughly wash sufficient beer bottles to hold the ginger beer, and sterilize them in Campden solution or by using another suitable wine-making product. Siphon the ginger beer into the bottles, being careful not to disturb the deposit in the bottom of the container. Seal the bottles tightly and leave in a warm place for 3 days. Use at once or store in a cool dark place until required, checking the bottles frequently.

Makes about 83/4 pints.

YOU SAY MALADE, I SAY MELADE . . .
Researching the origin of the English word ‘marmelade’ (’Kings, Queens, and Marmelade’, June/July, page 8) need take one nofarther than the terminology used in French cooking regarding the preserving of fruit.

A marmelade is the result when a fruit is cooked down, usually with added sugar, to soften it. This is often a preliminary stagein making a confiture or jam. The preserve that the English call ‘marmalade is called ‘marmelade d’oranges’ in French.

Traditionally, jams are made from soft fruits, but the use of citrus fruit to make preserves was a late development, as thesefruits were not grown in Britain, and were rarely imported, in the 16th century.

Anglicizing a French word to give a name to a food that did not have an English name was a common practice in the past.

Mary, Queen of Scots had very close ties with France and her chef was probably French, so a myth connecting her with theinvention of this preserve is quite understandable though not founded on fact. The fact that the spelling of the latter part of theEnglish word happens to duplicate a French word for sick or ill (’malade’) is pure coincidence. Marmelade is an entirelydifferent word, in spelling and origin, as well as meaning. It is feasible to imagine Mary’s chef preserving this luxury fruit in the16th century by making ‘marmelade d’oranges’, but that is as far as the connection goes.

Sylvia M. Skelton
Victoria, British Columbia

CORRECTION
In our June/July Travel Notes department piece ‘Leonardo Da Vinci Drawings at Buckingham Palace’ we mistakenly reportedthe admission cost of the exhibition to be ?12.95. The correct cost of admittance for that exhibition, which will be on display atThe Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace until 12th January 1997, is ?3.50 for adults, ?2 for children, ?2.50 for those over60, and ?10 for a family (2 adults and 2 children). A fully colour-illustrated catalogue written by Martin Clayton, AssistantCurator of the Print Room, Royal Library, accompanies the exhibition and is priced at ?12.95. We apologize for the error.

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The British telephone numbers provided in British Heritage include an initial zero, which callers from North America do not need to dial when placing a call to Britain. North American callers should dial 011-44 in place of the initial zero. When travelling in Britain, dial the telephone numbers exactly as printed.Please note that all prices quoted in editorial material are correct to the best of our knowledge. We suggest readers call ahead before visiting stately homes, etc., to ensure they have up-to-date details.

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