Red or Pink Coloring

Original Recipe

Take two cents' worth of cochineal. Lay it on a flat plate and bruise it with the blade of a knife. Put it into half a teacupful of alcohol. Let it stand a quarter of an hour, and then filter it through fine muslin. Always ready for immediate use. Cork the bottle tight. Strawberry or cranberry juice makes a fine coloring for frosting, sweet puddings and confectionery.

Ingredients

grocery
  • 1 flat plate and bruise it with the blade of a knife
  • 1 teacupful of alcohol
  • 1 quarter of an hour
  • 1 fine coloring for frosting

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Instructions

  1. 1

    Take two cents' worth of cochineal.

  2. 2

    Lay it on a flat plate and bruise it with the blade of a knife.

  3. 3

    Put it into half a teacupful of alcohol.

  4. 4

    Let it stand a quarter of an hour, and then filter it through fine muslin.

  5. 5

    Always ready for immediate use.

  6. 6

    Cork the bottle tight.

  7. 7

    Strawberry or cranberry juice makes a fine coloring for frosting, sweet puddings and confectionery.

Sources & Citations

Sources included so you can explore further.

Recipe by Mrs. F.L. Gillette from The White House Cook Book (1887)