Standard Cyclopedia of Recipes

[lemon_twist]

I quite randomly picked up a book today at my University library titled _Standard Cyclopedia of Recipes: Priceless Information for Everybody_. It's an old book, copyright 1901, that contains instructions on how to do just about anything you might want to be doing in 1901. Really neat stuff.

So first recipe in the index - How to make Angostura bitters. Hmmm... I flip down to see what they say and I find a recipe for Angostura, Boker's, Hostetter's, and Wild Cherry bitters. Also included in the book are recipes for imitation Holland gin, Country gin, and various rums, whiskeys, and brandies.

Anybody run across this book before? I've heard of Angostura and Boker's but anybody know a recipe for Hostetter's bitters? I'm not sure how authentic the recipes are because the book obviously is keen on imitations (and saving money), but maybe it could be interesting to someone?

[syoung68]

you can download it here

http://www.archive.org/details/standardcycloped00browiala

[brinza]

you can download it here

http://www.archive.org/details/standardcycloped00browiala

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It's interesting that they list Angostura Bark as an ingredient in Angostura Bitters (which label clearly states that it does not contain Angostura Bark). This calls up several questions.

1) Did the Angostura Bitters label always say that; if not, when was it added?

2) If the notice was added later, was it because of that book?

3) Did the compilers of the book assume Angostura Bark was an ingredient because of the name of the product, or did it actually at one time contain Angostura Bark?

4) What else about the ingredient list is inaccurate?