Syrup

Persimmon Champagne cocktail Total time: 20 minutes, plus cooling time for the syrup Servings: 1 Note: Adapted from Jason Schiffer, 320 Main. Persimmon syrup 1 ripe Fuyu persimmon, cut into ½-inch cubes 1/2 cup water Fresh grated nutmeg 1 sprig rosemary 1 cup brown sugar In a medium saucepan heated over medium heat, cook the persimmon until the pieces caramelize, 5 to 10 minutes. (The persimmons may stick to the bottom of the pan. Gently scrape them from the pan, and continue to stir to keep them from burning.)

  Nuit rouge Total time: 40 minutes, plus cooling time for the syrup Servings: 1 Note: Adapted from Vincenzo Marianella, Copa d'Oro. Make cranberry ice cubes by placing cranberries into 1-inch ice cube molds and pouring cranberry juice to fill. Freeze until set. Cinnamon-allspice syrup 1 cup water 1 cup sugar 4 cinnamon sticks, broken into pieces 1 to 11/2 teaspoons allspice 1 (4-inch) vanilla bean, split 1. In a saucepan , combine the water, sugar, cinnamon and allspice.

I really enjoyed Leilah Bernstein's piece on egg creams ("A Spritz in Time," June 17), but I take exception to the idea that there are two schools of egg cream-making. I've never met anyone who drizzles the chocolate syrup in after spritzing. This must be a new thing and leads me to point out an important omission in the recipe. Ms. Bernstein should have indicated that Fox's U-Bet is the only acceptable chocolate syrup to use. No others will do because their consistency is too thick to allow a good head to form at the surface (which, if you use a different syrup, explains this new school of adding the syrup after the spritz)

  Total time: 20 minutes, plus chilling time Servings: 1 Note: From Diane Forley. Lillet is an aperitif available at grocery store liquor sections and liquor stores. 1 cup sugar 1 cup water 2 tablespoons dried lemon verbena leaves or 1 (6-inch) fresh leaf of lemon verbena 1 ounce Lillet (white) 4 ounces Champagne or sparkling wine Orange-peel twist 1. Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan. Heat to boiling. Cook until the syrup is clear and the sugar is dissolved.

On Sept. 30, you printed a letter from Dorothy Rochmis concerning the use of black radishes. I'd like to add that my mother used them and so did many German people we knew. It is an old-time remedy for colds and coughs. Mother would scrub the radish and then core out the center--a large hole on top going down to a very small hold on the bottom. She would put the radish into a glass--one small enough to hold the radish up from the bottom. Then she would fill the hole with crushed rock candy.